Evaluating the Implementation of Ethiopia’s Diaspora Policy

Abstract

Abstract Ethiopia’s 2013 diaspora policy sought to mobilise its citizens abroad to contribute to national development through investment, knowledge transfer and civic participation. This article offers the first comprehensive ten-year evaluation of its implementation, drawing on a concurrent embedded mixed method design that integrates a survey of 289 diaspora respondents, 64 key informant interviews, seven focus groups and extensive document analysis. The findings reveal persistent institutional fragmentation, limited policy visibility and weak responsiveness to diaspora priorities. Although remittances and investment interest have grown, bureaucratic inefficiencies, political trust deficits and the exclusion of diaspora youth constrain impact. Knowledge transfer initiatives in health, education and ICT remain underused and philanthropic engagement is restricted by legal barriers. The study concludes that Ethiopia’s diaspora policy has generated only modest developmental returns and highlights the need to shift from transactional approaches towards integrated, inclusive strategies that build trust, harness skills and embed diaspora-responsive reforms into national development planning.