ENGAGING THE JORDANIAN DIASPORA

UNCLAS AMMAN 002151 SIPDIS STATE FOR NEA/ELA AND EEB STATE FOR S/GPI - M. KAREN WALKER STATE PASS USAID E.O. 12958: N/A TAGS: BEXP BTIOEAID OEXC OIIP PGOV PHUM PREL SCUL SMIG TSPL, EINV, JO SUBJECT: ENGAGING THE JORDANIAN DIASPORA REF: A) Amman 1942 B) STATE 86401 C) Amman 472 D) 07 Amman 4207 ¶1. (U) Post offers the following in response to reftel B, paragraph 15 questions: A) The Jordanian Diaspora working in the Gulf providing remittances are Substantial and are closely tracked by Jordan's Department of Statistics and the Central Bank of Jordan. Outside the Gulf region though, Diaspora are very fragmented and unorganized. It should be noted that in addition to indigenous Jordanians, Jordan is currently considered home to a large number of Palestinians and Iraqis. B) Although remittances from Jordanians working abroad fell 4.4% during the first half of 2009, they still make up roughly 20% of Jordan's GDP, $1.74 billion this year, and represent the country's largest foreign currency income (ref A). The estimate of Jordanians working abroad is 260,000, mainly in information technology (IT) around the Gulf (ref D). C-H) Diaspora participation in humanitarian aid, long-term investment and economic growth, conflict resolution, health, education, and civil society, is low. USAID Jordan is in the procurement stage for a new $28 million public-private sector activity which will have as one of its major components to conduct a Diaspora assessment. I) The Diaspora Networks Alliance (DNA) framework in the USAID Global Development Alliance (GDA) Washington office is currently working with multiple Missions to create pilot projects focused on engaging the Diaspora community. A DNA representative visited Jordan in April 2009 and determined that considerable opportunities to develop Jordanian Diaspora alliances could exist and that there is considerable political will to mobilize Diaspora financial and intellectual resources. J) Recognizing the potential to leverage donor resources, Post has taken preliminary steps that will assess the potential Diaspora contribution to reform and development in Jordan. The launch of this effort was a result of successful, publicized efforts elsewhere in the world. K) Post is not aware of any unsolicited proposals that have been submitted from Diaspora. L) Post has not designed or participated in any public diplomacy programs customized for the Diaspora community needs. Post would welcome future participation in such programs. M) With the new USAID public-private partnership activity, the Diaspora component will aggressively explore opportunities to leverage the Jordanian Diaspora to engage in Jordan's development. According to the World Bank, Jordan has one of the world's highest levels of unilateral transfers, in the form of workers' remittances and public grants. ¶2. (U) A Diaspora reach back program to academics would be very welcomed in Jordan. ¶3. (U) POC is Steve Gonyea, USAID, email: SGONYEA@usaid.gov BEECROFT