1 / 11

Governance for Development in Africa Residential School (GDiA) SOAS/CDD/Mo Ibrahim Foundation

Liberia’s Diasporas as Governance and Development Actors Robtel Neajai Pailey May 9, 2013 Accra, Ghana 2:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Governance for Development in Africa Residential School (GDiA) SOAS/CDD/Mo Ibrahim Foundation. Diasporas in Governance/Development.

boone
Download Presentation

Governance for Development in Africa Residential School (GDiA) SOAS/CDD/Mo Ibrahim Foundation

An Image/Link below is provided (as is) to download presentation Download Policy: Content on the Website is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use and may not be sold / licensed / shared on other websites without getting consent from its author. Content is provided to you AS IS for your information and personal use only. Download presentation by click this link. While downloading, if for some reason you are not able to download a presentation, the publisher may have deleted the file from their server. During download, if you can't get a presentation, the file might be deleted by the publisher.

E N D

Presentation Transcript

  1. Liberia’s Diasporas as Governance and Development ActorsRobtel Neajai PaileyMay 9, 2013Accra, Ghana2:00 p.m.-3:30 p.m. Governance for Development in Africa Residential School (GDiA) SOAS/CDD/Mo Ibrahim Foundation

  2. Diasporas in Governance/Development • Adamson (2002)-‘diasporas as political projects’ • Political moblization a function of the politics of why/how they left countries of origin • Diasporas from conflict zones attempt to ‘transform home’ (destructive vs. constructive) -Send humanitarian relief (remittances) -Mobilize in the host nation -Raise international attention about countries of origin -Fund insurgent groups to topple unfavorable regimes

  3. Liberia Born out of Diasporic Experiment • Movement • Dispersal • Flux

  4. Major Waves of Migration I • 1822-1847-First African Republic Founded • 1980 Coup-Samuel K. Doe topples True Whig Party hegemony • 1985-Fraudulent elections entrenches Doe/Quiwonkpa coup leads to reprisals • 1989-Outbreak of civil war led by Taylor

  5. Major Waves of Migration II • 1997-Elections entrenches Taylor • 2002-2003-LURD/MODEL offensive • 2003-Taylor exiled; interim government established • 2005-2011: First post-war elections-Sirleaf creates ‘enabling environment’ • 2011-Second post-war elections

  6. Liberian Diasporas Engage in Development/Governance Political leadership determines diasporic engagement possibilities/outcomes (CRISES OF GOVERNANCE/DEVELOPMENT) • 1980s DOE • 1990s TAYLOR • 2000s SIRLEAF

  7. 1980s DOE • 1985 elections rigged-EJS steps down from Senatorial seat • US supports Doe in exchange for Cold War loyalties • Diasporas=enemies of the state • Diasporas rally in U.S. to topple Doe (politicized for the first time) • Charles Taylor voted catalyst for change

  8. 1990s TAYLOR • 1989-1997-Diasporas fund Taylor insurgency • Diasporas as humanitarian actors; rallying abroad to end civil war (‘3rd humanitarian space’-Lubkemann) • 1997-”You kill my ma, you kill ma pa, I will vote for you!” (Taylor/Sirleaf head to head) • Diasporas minimally tolerated during Taylor’s reign • 2003-Diasporas rally for Taylor’s exit

  9. 2000s SIRLEAF • 2005-Sirleaf elected in first term • Diasporas embraced in enabling environment (‘3rd post-conflict space’-Pailey) • Returnees=conduits of neo-liberal reforms (IPRS, PRS) • Corruption exposed (returnees implicated)

  10. Diasporas in Governance and Development NOW • 2011 elections-Sirleaf wins second term • Multi-layered governance structures (local, international, diasporic) • Increased advocacy for dual citizenship • Diasporas increasingly lobbying against corruption (Leymah Gbowee, John Morlu, et. al) • Returnee hegemony?

  11. Liberia’s Diasporic Dialectic • Contestation • Resistance • Migration • Exile • Return

More Related