For many years, discussions about Zambia’s development have centred on domestic policies, agriculture, mining and foreign investment.
Yet one of the country’s most significant development partners has often worked quietly from beyond its borders—the Zambian diaspora.
Over the past decade, the government has increasingly recognised that Zambians living abroad are more than ambassadors of the nation.
They are valuable contributors to national development through financial remittances, investment, skills transfer and professional expertise.
Their growing contribution has made the diaspora an important pillar of Zambia’s economic and social progress.
Official figures underscore this impact. According to the World Bank and the Global Knowledge Partnership on Migration and Development (KNOMAD), remittance inflows grew from US$36 million in 2003 to an estimated US$135 million in 2020.
Although remittances fluctuated between 2009 and 2019 after recording steady growth during the preceding years, the long-term trend reflects the increasing role of Zambians abroad in supporting both their families and the national economy.
For thousands of households, these remittances have become a vital source of income, helping to pay for education, healthcare, housing and small business ventures.
Beyond improving household welfare, they stimulate local economic activity, promote entrepreneurship and contribute to greater financial stability across the country.
Recognising the strategic importance of the diaspora, the government launched the National Diaspora Policy in 2019 to strengthen engagement with citizens living abroad.
The policy aims to promote and facilitate remittances while encouraging investment, entrepreneurship, knowledge transfer and stronger collaboration between Zambians overseas and communities back home.
Government efforts to harness diaspora expertise, however, predate the policy. Between 1983 and 1999, Zambia implemented a voluntary return and reintegration programme that assisted skilled emigrants with travel arrangements and employment opportunities in the public sector.
In 2005, the National Employment and Labour Market Policy introduced additional measures to encourage qualified professionals to return, while the Bonding System required beneficiaries of government scholarships to serve the country after completing their studies.
These initiatives were intended to reduce the impact of brain drain, particularly in critical sectors such as healthcare and education, where the migration of doctors, nurses and teachers had created significant skills shortages.
Today, government continues to encourage members of the diaspora to return either permanently or temporarily, invest in businesses, acquire property and participate in national development programmes.
The 2019 Diaspora Policy also proposes the creation of a comprehensive database of skilled Zambians abroad to better match their expertise with opportunities available within the country.
Although comprehensive data on voluntary returnees remains limited, the International Organization for Migration reported an increase in involuntary returnees between 2013 and 2016 before those numbers declined in 2017.
The value of sustained diaspora engagement became even more apparent during the COVID-19 pandemic. Working through the Zambian High Commission in South Africa, the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation successfully coordinated the repatriation of 106 stranded Zambian nationals, together with six additional citizens and 30 resident permit holders.
As Zambia pursues inclusive and sustainable economic transformation, the diaspora remains one of the country’s greatest untapped assets.
By strengthening policies that promote investment, facilitate skills transfer and deepen engagement with citizens abroad, Zambia can continue turning migration into a powerful catalyst for national development and long-term economic growth.