North african migration systems: evolution, transformations and development linkages

The paper first analyses how the evolution and transformation of North African migration systems has been an integral part of more general processes of political and economic change. Subsequently, the extent to which policies can enhance the development impact of migration is assessed by analysing t...

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Detalles Bibliográficos
Autor principal: Hein de Haas
Formato: Artículo científico
Publicado: Red Internacional de Migración y Desarrollo 2006
Materias:
Acceso en línea:http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=66000704
http://biblioteca.clacso.edu.ar/gsdl/cgi-bin/library.cgi?a=d&c=mx/mx-037&d=66000704oai
Aporte de:
id I16-R122-66000704oai
record_format dspace
institution Consejo Latinoamericano de Ciencias Sociales
institution_str I-16
repository_str R-122
collection Red de Bibliotecas Virtuales de Ciencias Sociales (CLACSO)
topic Relaciones Internacionales
International migration
development
remittances
policies
North Africa
spellingShingle Relaciones Internacionales
International migration
development
remittances
policies
North Africa
Hein de Haas
North african migration systems: evolution, transformations and development linkages
topic_facet Relaciones Internacionales
International migration
development
remittances
policies
North Africa
description The paper first analyses how the evolution and transformation of North African migration systems has been an integral part of more general processes of political and economic change. Subsequently, the extent to which policies can enhance the development impact of migration is assessed by analysing the case of Morocco, the region’s leading emigration country. Over 3 million people of Moroccan descent (out of 30 million Moroccans) live abroad, mainly in Europe. Since the 1960s, the Moroccan state has stimulated migration for economic and political reasons, while simultaneously trying to maintain a tight control on «its» emigrants. However, fearing remittance decline, a remarkable shift occurred after 1989. Along with policies to facilitate holiday visits and remittances, the Moroccan state adopted positive attitudes towards migrants’ transnational civic activism, integration and double citizenship. Huge increases in remittances (well over $5 billion in 2006) and holiday visits suggest that these policies have been partially successful. However, these policies could only work because of macro–economic stability and continuing emigration, and because they were part a more general process of liberalisation of Moroccan society. Although remittances have positively affected living conditions and economic growth in sending regions, remaining constraints such as corruption, legal insecurity and a lack of trust in the state, explain why many migrants are still hesitant to invest and do not return. The lesson is that targeted «diaspora policies» have limited effects if they are not accompanied by general political reform and economic progress creating attractive environments to return to and invest in.
format Artículo científico
Artículo científico
author Hein de Haas
author_facet Hein de Haas
author_sort Hein de Haas
title North african migration systems: evolution, transformations and development linkages
title_short North african migration systems: evolution, transformations and development linkages
title_full North african migration systems: evolution, transformations and development linkages
title_fullStr North african migration systems: evolution, transformations and development linkages
title_full_unstemmed North african migration systems: evolution, transformations and development linkages
title_sort north african migration systems: evolution, transformations and development linkages
publisher Red Internacional de Migración y Desarrollo
publishDate 2006
url http://www.redalyc.org/articulo.oa?id=66000704
http://biblioteca.clacso.edu.ar/gsdl/cgi-bin/library.cgi?a=d&c=mx/mx-037&d=66000704oai
work_keys_str_mv AT heindehaas northafricanmigrationsystemsevolutiontransformationsanddevelopmentlinkages
bdutipo_str Repositorios
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