The Iraqi diaspora: roles and opportunities

This on the record discussion was based off a report published by the Atlantic Council last week entitled “Iraqi Diaspora Mobilization and the Future Development of Iraq.” The discussion focused on the mobilization of the Iraqi diaspora following the 2003 invasion and the demise of Saddam Hussein. The Iraqi diaspora remains strong, but remains what Oula Kadhum calls “a largely untapped resource.” Speakers were:

Ambassador Feisal Al-Istrabadi Founding Director, Center for the Study of the Middle East; Professor of the Practice of International Law and Diplomacy, Indiana University, Bloomington

Dr. Abbas Kadhim
Director, Iraq Initiative
Atlantic Council

Dr. Oula Kadhum
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
University of Birmingham

Dr. Marsin Alshamary (Moderator)
Postdoctoral Research Fellow
The Brookings Institute

Rebuilding Iraq: The Role of the Iraqi Diaspora:

Kadhum identifies two types of diaspora participation: top-down and bottom-up. The top down mobilization includes party politics and participation in civil society. A key reason the diaspora should be engaged in Iraqi social and political matters is the decades-long brain-drain.

Istrabadi notes ways that the Iraqi diaspora contributes to connectivity and potential opportunity for future growth and development in Iraq. Pre-2003, Iraq was isolated from the world and the diaspora remained largely disengaged. “Inpatriated” Iraqis, those who have never left the country, were disconnected from expatriated Iraqis. The largely expatriated political elite was more sectarian, creating division and resentment from the Iraqi population.

Kadhim also noted the dichotomy between those who are based in Iraq and those who have expatriated to the United States and Europe. Currently, there are no think-tanks operating in the country aside from the politically affiliated ones. By engaging with the development of independent think-tanks within Iraq, expatriates can contribute to the to the construction of a more engaged and intellectually strong inpatriated population.

A Generational Gap:

Kadhum noted that the diaspora that left pre-2003 face vastly different circumstances than the second generation diaspora. Those born abroad to Iraqi parents are also distinct. Different incentives need to be created and managed for the first generation and second generation. Creating a formal channel to engage the Iraqi diaspora from both the first and second generations could be a way to re-engage the diaspora into many sectors through training, knowledge transfers, and harnessing the skills the diaspora has to offer.

The security context has inhibited the re-integration of many Iraqis from the diaspora. The first generation is haunted by memories and experiences from a country riddled with war, sanctions, and distrust. The second generation, many of whom may have not experienced Iraq, feel disconnected as they don’t have experiences or memories of the country to engage within the country to the people on the ground.

The local needs of Iraqis, according to Kadhum, are apparent to the the expatriates, but there is a need for a social contract based on merit and technocracy, rather than the networks and patronage that generate fear of engaging the diaspora.