Samenvatting

Due to the globalization of communication and transport, diaspora have become important actors in development, peace and conflict resolution in their countries of origin. Although the impact of diasporas’ engagement in peace and conflict processes is highly contested by certain researchers and or practitioners, the role of the Diaspora in their countries of origin is increasingly recognized by decision-makers and the research community as well, both in the countries of origin and in the countries of residence. For example, various African states have established Diasporas departments or ministries to further institutionalize state-diasporas relations, while in the countries of residence, governmental institutions and non-governmental organizations are looking for ways to involve Diasporas members and organizations in their developmental and integration endeavors (Warnecke, 2010, p.4). Moreover, the intervention methods of Diasporas organizations in peace building and development processes are very wide ranging from operational to advocacy and lobbying activities.

The main objective of this study was to investigate the effective participation of the Liberian Diasporas in the Netherlands in peace building activities in the country of origin. Therefore, the central question reads as: How effective is the participation of Liberian Diasporas organizations in the Netherlands in peace building activities in the country of origin? During the research, both primary and secondary data were collected. Primary data was collected through three individual interviews, with the aim of providing more insight into the organizational structure and the practices of Liberian Diasporas associations and certain Dutch development NGOs in peace building processes. The secondary data based on desk research was collected by consulting online scientific articles, and academic reports written by researchers and policy-makers.

The research reveals that major Liberian Diasporas associations in the Netherlands are formally established, though they virtually operate informally. In other words, most of the associations are formally registered, but it is very hard to identify them because they are not well organized and are not functioning effectively. Although the extent in which Diasporas are engaging in peace building processes is very significant, it turns out that Diasporas also encounter genuine challenges simultaneously. These challenges include lack of financial resources, the internal dispute between Diasporas groups and lack of trust and cooperation’s between Diasporas and authorities in the country of origin. However, in order to overcome this obstruction, it is suggested that the Diasporas should increase their cooperation, professionalize their peace building activities, and focus on the capacity building of its members and local partners in country of origin.