Pardee-CFLP-Remittances-TF-Report

Knowledge RemittanceThe Liberian diaspora in the U.S. is highly educated. Of the 53,251 Liberiansover the age of 25 counted in the 2011 U.S. ACS survey, 25.7 percent held a highschool diploma and 36.4 percent had some college or an associate’s degree.Another 17.8 percent held a bachelor’s degree, while 8.1 percent had attaineda graduate or professional degree. The median household income for Liberianssurveyed was $41,340. 15 A well-educated diaspora for Liberia implies relativelyhigh remittances because of higher income. High levels of education also representan important source of knowledge that could be used from afar or luredback to Liberia to fill in capacity deficits.As a part of Liberia’s Poverty Reduction Strategy (PRS), the Liberian governmenthas begun to encourage knowledge and skill remittance to Liberia. It establishedthe Transfer of Knowledge through Expatriate Nationals (TOKTEN) and SeniorExecutive Service (SES) programs with the intention of drawing back the educatedand skilled members of the diaspora. Because only 14.4 percent of publicsector employees hold graduate degrees, “the focus is to recruit doctors, engineers,scientists, economists, environmentalists, business executives and otherhighly skilled professionals” (Grigorian et al. 2008).It is important to note, however, that initiatives to use the resources of thediaspora are not apolitical: “Capacity builders are not merely imparting knowledge,but intervening politically” (Hughes 2011: 1499). 16 When locals have tocompete (or feel like they do) with diaspora returnees for government jobs andeconomic opportunities, the result can be a kind of cold war (Antwi-Boateng2012). Liberians who stayed behind may feel as though they are more deservingof these opportunities because they lived through the war and consequentlysuffered proportionately more. This reaction may be an unintended and perhapsunavoidable sentiment in the current context. But, programs like TOKTEN andSES must be implemented thoughtfully not to exacerbate resentment and causelegitimacy problems, especially for those expatriates destined for governmentpositions.15 Median household income for Liberians is lower than the national average but is still significantly above thepoverty line in the U.S.16 For a critical analysis of diaspora expatriate programs see Caroline Hughes’ “The politics of knowledge: ethnicity,capacity and return in post conflict reconstruction policy,” Review of International Studies, October 2011.Remittance Flows to Post-Conflict States: Perspectives on Human Security and Development 83