Somalia requires the expertise of its Diaspora to achieve sustainable development beyond the remittances they send home, the International Organization for Migration (IOM) has stated.
"There has been a lot of brain drain in Somalia. How do we bring back those skills that they have been able to achieve in their country of residence to their country of origin?" asked Yvonne Jepkoech Chelmio, an IOM official focused on labor and migration in Africa.
The IOM's Migration in Africa for Development Programme (MIDA) identified Somali diaspora professionals and placed them in local hospitals, schools, and national ministries to build the country's self-sufficiency. Over the past 20 years, MIDA has facilitated the return of more than 400 experts from 17 countries, contributing to sectors including education, health, climate action, urban planning, and governance.
Somalia's civil war, which began in 1991, triggered mass displacement. Though security has improved, challenges remain, limiting sustainable development. "What happens in countries like Somalia is someone becomes skilled in a field, educated, they don't want to stay here. So you lose talent, you lose skill," said pedagogy expert Shire Salad, a diaspora participant in the MIDA program.
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With two million Somalis living abroad, remittances exceed 2 billion USD annually, accounting for about one-third of national GDP. But MIDA emphasizes technical expertise and knowledge transfer over economic contributions alone. The Diaspora serve as bridges, as ambassadors, as drivers of change and development actors, IOM official and Diaspora member Nasra Sheikh Ahmed said.
Education has been a key focus of MIDA. Professor Mohamed Gure of Somali National University noted a shortage of formally trained teachers. Through collaborations with Diaspora professionals and institutions like the University of Helsinki, MIDA has developed new curricula and built lasting partnerships that continue to strengthen local capacity. "All the curricula that were developed for the country will remain. It will be used by lecturers who can train other lecturers," Mohamed said.
Skills transfer is not without challenges. Returning Diaspora often face a different Somalia from the one they left and may be seen as outsiders. "Although you may speak the language and understand the culture, they still see you as a foreigner," said Salad. Local experts provide critical context, creating a two-way exchange that enhances effectiveness.
MIDA has partially reversed decades of brain drain, leaving a lasting impact even when Diaspora professionals return abroad. Yet, many young Somalis continue to leave the country due to hopelessness. Salad expressed hope for the future: "If they had hope in this country, they would have stayed. My hope is that younger generations will have that hope that they will stay."
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