Impact of Moroccan diaspora’s funding on leveraging for entrepreneurship in Morocco

Abstract

Diaspora members have been for a long time participating along with communities of their country of origin to tap the local intellectual and social capital. Traditionally, diaspora members have been sending remittances to family and friends, but gradually they have been making direct investments into their countries of origin, actively promoting the local professional environment. In global terms, diaspora members have engaged with their countries of origin as a catalyst for development of talent using all the tools available to them: providing mentoring and know-how, launching networking platforms, associating with universities and financing innovative business with funds established abroad. Conversely, diaspora members have been generating awareness in their business communities abroad of the skills of the citizens and the business environment in their countries of origin. Diaspora’s role has gone beyond upgrading the entrepreneurial environment in their country of origin to reinforce trade ties, guide future investments and internationalise the local talent; hence enabling the social and economic development and generating growth in both countries...