Vusumuzi Dube
Sunday News Reporter
THE International Organisation and Migration (IOM) has commended the Government for embarking on an inclusive Zimbabwe National Diaspora Policy review without engaging consultants describing it as a key milestone, a development that has generated interest from SADC member states.
IOM said Zimbabwe ranks among the few regional countries that can develop a policy by stakeholders instead of engaging consultants.
IOM Project Coordinator for Zimbabwe, Dr Emmanuel Quarshire on Wednesday said regional countries have shown keen interest in embarking on benchmarking visits to the country.
That interest has been amplified by Zimbabwe chairing SADC, he said.
“We commend the Government of Zimbabwe for this milestone. We have been discussing and realise that in the region, Zimbabwe is one of the countries that can develop a policy by the stakeholders themselves.
“Most of the times, some member states, and consultants are invited to help develop a policy. In this case, we have Zimbabwe stakeholders from various departments sitting in the same room and revising an existing policy,” Dr Quarshire.
He was contributing to a National Diaspora Policy review workshop in Bulawayo.
The current policy was adopted in 2016, and this review is intended to align it with evolving global changes.
He added “This is strategic because now Zimbabwe is the current chair of SADC. We have had conversations with colleagues from the region who are willing to come and learn what Zimbabwe is doing differently with other benchmarking visits.
“The idea is to replicate this in other countries.”
Online Reporter