THAMM Nicolle Disc Paper Final Draft 02072021 Cleared.docx

Trade-off #6: Stronger ethical standards for seasonal work (decent work) involving the diaspora The fear over a shortage of global food supplies has raised awareness about the strategic value of the agricultural sector and the crucial role of seasonal migrant workers within it. This could begin a transformative discussion about the need to understand more holistically how migrants interact with specific economic sectors and communities – in particular in the sectors of agriculture, construction, and tourism, which all generate a lot of seasonal demand but probably require a stronger inclusion of international labour standards and migrant workers’ rights. Could bilateral and multilateral cooperation frameworks, involving countries of origin (mainly Tunisia and Morocco) and destination of migrants (mainly Spain, Italy and France) contribute to this effort? What could be the role of the diaspora in these regards? Box 8: Partnerships between local authorities and diaspora organisations for local development in Morocco ‘The Moroccan sizeable diaspora estimated at 15% of its population, is concentrated in OECD countries, and mainly in Europe. It is a well-organised diaspora, with associations of Moroccans abroad increasingly concerned with the development of the areas of origin. This development has been very fast, and reflects on the one hand, a better integration into the destination country, while on the other hand it continues to reinforce a positive perception of migration in both destination and origin countries A case of interest is that of Migrations et Developpement (M&D), an NGO established in 1986 in France as an Organisation de Solidarité Internationale Issue des Migrations (OSIM), that operates between Morocco and diaspora networks in France. M&D promotes a modality of operation that puts at the core a “Community of Solidarity Development”, which is a local development collective structured as an association including diaspora members originating from the community and members of the community of origin, nurtured through dialogues, meetings and virtual networks. The local development association provides a co-financing and in-kind (technical and labour) contribution to the implementation of development projects, especially with a focus on rural areas and contribution to revitalise the rural economy, for example through eco-tourism, or provide essential services (such as local health centres). (…) Since its establishment, the association has continued to develop its collaboration

with donors and international organisations, becoming a key player at the interface of local development, diaspora and development cooperation in rural areas in Morocco. (…) Considering that an increasing number of returnees to Morocco are youth and that many of them are highly skilled and establish enterprises upon return, there is an important potential in further mobilising the diaspora developmental action towards facilitating the productive return of migrants. Based on the experience in With regards to addressing the constraints of potential migrants, households and communities, it is important to stress the importance of building on the specificities of the local context, needs and policy opportunities, through the partnership between local communities, decentralised government and diaspora associations for the identification and co-funding of development projects.’ ( Source: Castagnone, E. and Termine, P. (2018). Chapitre 7 - Migration des jeunes ruraux méditerranéens : déterminants socio-économiques, défis et opportunités pour l’élaboration de politiques ciblées. Dans : CIHEAM éd., MediTERRA 2018: Migrations et développement rural inclusif en Méditerranée (pp. 145-167). Paris: Presses de Sciences Po.) For higher education institutions and international students, the gaps created by the pandemic will need to be filled through strategic efforts. These efforts should aim to attract North African students, while understanding that the spending power and ability of internationals to pay high fees may be affected by the negative economic impact of COVID-19 in most migrant- sending countries (in particular from Morocco, Tunisia, and Egypt). Therefore, how should EUMember States and their North African partners create some positive incentives that would benefit North African students, EU Universities, academic and TVET institutions? What would be the relevant mix of scholarships, flexible mobility conditions, and tailored individual mentorship? Trade-off #8: Assessing the migration cycle To take full advantage of the potential of the labour market, all stakeholders need to consider the entire migration cycle. It is therefore important to design not only the pre-departure orientation phase, but also the return and reintegration phase. For example, it is essential to focus on the development of relevant professional knowledge and skills to prepare workers to Trade-off #7: Mutually beneficial exchanges in university education and vocational training

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