IOM Mission in the Kyrgyz Republic continues engaging the Kyrgyz diaspora and compatriots in development projects, including climate actions. The Global Programme on Making Migration Work for Sustainable Development issued grants to BIZ (Bildung Initiative Zusammenarbeit e.V.), a diaspora organization that unites the Kyrgyz diaspora, compatriots, and migrants living in Germany, and Green Alliance, a local NGO. The two organizations have been granted to pilot crowdfunding on Ashar, a diaspora-initiated crowdfunding platform.

IOM recognizes the role of global migrant communities as key actors for development. Their knowledge and ability to navigate different contexts highlight their ability to foster development initiatives that mainstream development at the global, national, and local levels. Diasporas are agents with the necessary social capital and relevant resources to develop transnational initiatives to support their own communities scattered globally. Indeed, diaspora leaders have the potential to maximize migration’s benefits by creating spaces of dialogue and exchange.

The recently developed Communication Strategy: Kyrgyz diaspora, Compatriots, and Migrants Abroad, which aims to engage the Kyrgyz diasporas, compatriots, and migrants living abroad in the development of the Kyrgyz Republic, including climate actions. The 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development, directly and indirectly, addresses migration, including migrants’ contribution to sustainable development, respecting migrants’ fundamental rights, and safe, regular, and orderly migration. Several targets of the Sustainable Development Goals specifically address migrants’ issues, while others cannot be achieved without the participation of migrants. The Communication Strategy: Kyrgyz diaspora, Compatriots, and Migrants Abroad outlines the vision, goals, and activities of strategic communication with the Kyrgyz diaspora, compatriots, and migrants, with an aim to involve them in the development of the Kyrgyz Republic. The Communication Strategy is also aligned with the Concept of the Migration Policy of the Kyrgyz Republic for 2021-2030, including its Action Plan. The development of Communication Strategy is especially essential to the successful implementation of Action 4.2, “Development of a communication strategy for communication with compatriots, diasporas, and migrants abroad” of the Action Plan.   The Communication Strategy is aligned with the objectives the main national strategic programs of the Kyrgyz Republic in the field of migration policy and has been developed based on IOM Kyrgyzstan’s consultation with various stakeholders, representatives of government agencies, NGOs on migration, representatives of the Kyrgyz diasporas and compatriots living abroad, and migrants. The Communication Strategy also aims to enhance the capacity of the Government of the Kyrgyz Republic, civil society partners, private partners, and other relevant institutions to work with the Kyrgyz diasporas, compatriots, and migrants to develop effective and sustainable communication with them, as well as to fulfill the objectives of the Concept of Migration Policy.