Across the Commonwealth, diaspora communities play a vital role in supporting their countries of origin. Yet despite strong ties, skills and capital flows, their full investment potential remains largely untapped. That opportunity took centre stage on 6 May 2026, at a high‑level roundtable at Marlborough House, where policymakers, investors and partners explored how diaspora investment can unlock sustainable growth and long‑term resilience across the Commonwealth.
Co‑hosted by the Commonwealth Secretariat and ARK Group International, the roundtable examined how diaspora investment can complement traditional development finance at a time when many countries are facing a tightening fiscal space, climate pressures and external shocks.
Bringing together voices from governments, academia, think tanks, Commonwealth accredited organisations and development partners, the inaugural Unlocking Diaspora Finances: A New Frontier for Development Finance roundtable marked the first in a new series and focused on mobilising investment from across the African diaspora.
Channelling diaspora capital
While remittances remain a critical lifeline for many economies, participants explored how diaspora capital can be channelled into longer‑term investments that create decent jobs, strengthen local enterprises and support economic diversification. The discussion highlighted that diaspora investors are often well placed to invest in higher‑risk markets, including small states, where local knowledge, trusted networks and cultural ties can help overcome perceived barriers.
Drawing on The Gambia’s experience as one of the continent’s highest remittance‑receiving countries, as documented in Charting a Feasible Course for The Gambia Diaspora Investment Strategy, Her Excellency Dr Fatou Bensouda, High Commissioner for The Gambia to the UK, said in her opening remarks:
“The Central Bank of The Gambia announced that remittance inflows for 2025 was US$872.05 million, equivalent to 30 per cent of national GDP. Formal remittances quadrupled from US$205.64 million in 2016, partly due to The Gambia’s open and competitive remittance market.
“In The Gambia, remittances are not simply figures in an economic report – they represent work, sacrifice, trust, love, responsibility and the enduring relationship between those who have left and the country they continue to carry with them.”
ARK Group International shared insights from its work on building diaspora investment ecosystems in African markets, highlighting the need for scalable investment infrastructure. Joevas Asare, Founder and Managing Director of ARK, said:
“Diaspora investment is not new; capital has been flowing for decades. The challenge is not availability, but how that capital is organised and deployed into productive and scalable investment. This requires deliberate investment infrastructure to absorb, structure, and channel diaspora capital effectively.”
Small states face distinct challenges
A key observation was that despite strong appetite among diaspora communities to invest, small states continue to face distinct challenges, including limited market size, shallow financial markets and a shortage of investment‑ready projects.
The Commonwealth Secretariat’s Economic Advisor, Dr Tamara Mughogho, highlighted ongoing technical and policy support, with a focus on ensuring small states are not left behind. Examples from Kenya: Charting a Course for Diaspora Investment in Kenya, Eswatini and Fiji demonstrated how targeted reforms, capacity building and partnerships can better integrate diaspora investment into wider development and financing strategies.
Dr Thomas Munthali, who leads the Secretariat’s work on Economic Policy and Small States, underscored the urgency of strengthening domestic resource mobilisation, saying:
“It’s time to move beyond reliance on international finance and build our own capacity to mobilise resources at home. With an estimated Commonwealth diaspora investment potential of US$73.2 billion annually, and remittances accounting for up to 41 per cent of GDP in some small states, often surpassing aid and foreign direct investment, the opportunity to unlock diaspora capital for sustainable financing is already within reach.”
Diaspora investment as a driver of inclusive growth and resilience
The roundtable concluded by recognising diaspora investment as underused driver of inclusive growth and resilience and a call for a Commonwealth Working Group on Unlocking Diaspora Investments. The Working group will bring together key stakeholders across government, development finance, investment, and researchers to support coordinated action across the Commonwealth.
As member countries prepare to meet at the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting in November in Antigua and Barbuda, lessons from the roundtable will continue to feed into the discussions providing practical, home‑grown solutions to strengthen economic resilience, partnerships and delivery, particularly for small and vulnerable states.
Related publications
Charting a Feasible Course for The Gambia Diaspora Investment Strategy
Charting a Course for Diaspora Investment in Kenya
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