“There are so many possibilities to doing something positive in Somaliland and other African regions. All you need is the right attitude, useful knowledge and a network.”
These words come from Nasir Ali, one of the CD4D diaspora participants making a difference, and a marketing professional in daily life. He is committed to putting his expertise, acquired in the Netherlands, to use in Somaliland.
Meet ten diaspora professionals making the difference, our CD4D ambassadors. Together they form the heart of our nationwide media campaign “Connecting Diaspora for Development” aimed at creating more awareness about the important role migrants play in the economic and social development of their countries of origin.
All ambassadors are professionals with a migration background. They are charismatic, dedicated and contribute in a major way to their countries of origin through our project Connecting Diaspora for Development (CD4D2). Each in their own way, they pass on their knowledge and skills through short-term assignments in their countries of origin at the request of local organizations and institutions.
Nasir is a marketing research professional who through CD4D2 supports the municipality of Berbera with city branding. During his three month assignment to Somaliland for CD4D, Nasir wrote a strategic plan for Berbera to turn the city into an international brand. According to Nasir, good city branding creates a fertile ground for sustainable development because it attracts talent and investment.
“I want to give Dutch people a realistic impression of what it’s like to live and work in Somaliland. I hope to inspire them to visit Somaliland and to form business partnerships.” Maybe, in a couple of years from now, we all know Berbera because of its good commercial ties with the Netherlands.
