The numbers are shocking. For every baby born in Colombia in 2024, it is estimated that there may be a compatriot who emigrates to another country.
The Colombian diaspora already numbers five million people, and in economic terms, the number of annual remittances amounts to more than US$10 billion (20% of the total amount of goods exports). That is why I think that for the Foreign Ministry’s internal working group, called ‘Colombia Unites Us’, it is important to analyze the experience that other countries have had to positively channel the contributions of migrants in various fields.
A relevant case is that of the 3 x 1 Program in Mexico, which seeks to encourage contributions made by migrants who are going to finance projects aimed at finding solutions to crises in their cities of origin, either around issues associated with internal conflict or natural disasters, with the federal and/or local government contributing US$3 for every dollar sent by their compatriots abroad for these causes.
Xenophobic arguments that associate the migrant with harm to the local population are easy to counter. The International Organization for Migration (IOM), a subsidiary of the United Nations, reports that 3% of the global population lives in a country other than their country of origin. The IOM estimates that it generates 9.4% of global GDP, which indicates the very high rate of productivity that migrants contribute to local economies.
I think that Colombia is overdue to create mechanisms of association and collaboration with Colombians who have emigrated or with their descendants, regardless of where the latter were born. Can emotional ties and the feeling of nostalgia be channeled to achieve an objective that has such an impact on the communities of Colombians that are being formed abroad? Who establishes self-esteem due to their origin? as well as the towns from which they emigrate. These links, however, require reinforcement, because as time passes, they tend to fade if there is not a continuous level of feedback. Technology can play a very important role in this, allowing people to connect through platforms, virtual events and social networks.
Consulates and various entities such as Procolombia could collaborate, strengthening ties between different communities abroad, whose strengthening requires an approach that includes cultural exchanges, political dialogue, social connectivity, and intergenerational rapprochement, in order to contribute to building a more united one. and resilient global community of Colombians. Above all, it is important to note the need to foster mutual respect between these two populations, since the role of the migrant and his contributions are not fully recognized by those who remain in Colombia.
SOLOMON KASSIN TESONE
Investment banker.
