Diaspora Country Index Identifies Kenya and Cabo Verde as Leaders in Diaspora Climate Readiness

Washington, D.C, District of Columbia Sep 10, 2026 (Issuewire.com) - The Diaspora Country Index (DCI) has released its August 2026 Diaspora Climate Readiness Index (DCRI), a benchmark examining whether countries are building the institutional foundations needed to engage their global diasporas in climate resilience and adaptation.

Kenya and Cabo Verde lead the current index with scores of 5 out of 5. Ghana, Morocco, and Rwanda follow with scores of 4. Nigeria and Senegal each score 3, Mauritius and South Africa score 2, and Tunisia scores 1.

The index assesses 10 selected African countries across five dimensions:

Diaspora Climate Strategy or Policy
Diaspora Climate Expertise Networks
Dedicated Diaspora Office or Focal Point
University and R&D Collaboration with Diaspora
Diaspora-Supported Climate Initiatives

DCI developed the index around a central question: Are countries prepared to engage their diasporas as partners in climate action?

"As countries across the Global South confront growing climate risks and increasing pressure on traditional development finance, diaspora engagement represents an underused source of expertise, networks, research capacity, investment, and institutional knowledge," said Nii Simmonds, Founder and Executive Director of the Diaspora Country Index. "The issue is not simply whether these resources exist. Countries need the readiness infrastructure to connect them with national priorities."

Climate Finance Is Also a Readiness Challenge

The global conversation around climate action often focuses on the amount of financing available.

DCI argues that another question deserves greater attention: whether countries have the institutions, policies, professional networks, research relationships, and participation mechanisms required to mobilize additional resources effectively.

Africa's global diaspora includes scientists, engineers, academics, investors, entrepreneurs, researchers, energy professionals, technology specialists, development practitioners, and climate finance professionals working across major global institutions and industries.

Yet expertise abroad does not automatically translate into climate capacity at home.

Countries need mechanisms for identifying diaspora expertise, connecting professionals with domestic institutions, supporting research partnerships, developing credible initiatives, and establishing clear pathways for participation.

DCRI provides an initial framework for measuring those foundations.

What the August Index Shows

The latest results point to several emerging findings.

Kenya and Cabo Verde demonstrate the strongest overall readiness among the 10 countries assessed, receiving full credit across all five DCRI indicators.

Ghana, Morocco, and Rwanda also display relatively strong institutional foundations, each scoring 4 out of 5.

Across the index, dedicated diaspora institutions represent a relative strength. All 10 countries assessed receive credit for having a dedicated diaspora office or focal point.

Formal climate-specific diaspora policy remains a larger gap.

Only Kenya and Cabo Verde receive full credit for the Diaspora Climate Strategy or Policy indicator under DCI's current methodology.

The findings suggest that many countries already possess pieces of the institutional infrastructure required for deeper diaspora participation, but stronger coordination between diaspora engagement and national climate strategies is still needed.

Beyond Remittances

DCI's climate work reflects a broader shift in how diaspora communities should be considered within economic development.

Diasporas are frequently discussed through the lens of remittances.

DCI seeks to broaden that conversation.

Diaspora communities also represent sources of technical knowledge, professional networks, research partnerships, entrepreneurship, investment relationships, technology transfer, institutional connections, and international market experience.

For climate policy, these capabilities matter.

A renewable-energy engineer abroad, a climate scientist working at an international university, an infrastructure investor, or an agricultural technology specialist represents a different form of diaspora resource.

Mobilizing these resources requires institutional preparation.

Building Diaspora Readiness Infrastructure

DCI is developing a broader framework focused on helping countries understand and improve their diaspora readiness.

The objective extends beyond measuring where countries stand today.

Over time, DCI seeks to connect benchmarking with country assessments, policy frameworks, case studies, toolkits, research partnerships, and practical approaches that help governments strengthen the infrastructure required for diaspora engagement.

This approach reflects DCI's broader mission of benchmarking and building diaspora readiness infrastructure for Global South economic transformation.

The organization sees potential applications across climate resilience, infrastructure, development finance, advanced manufacturing, skills development, research, technology, and other national development priorities.

From Measurement to Action

DCI views the Diaspora Climate Readiness Index as a forward-looking analytical framework rather than a definitive measure of national climate performance.

The index uses qualitative analysis of publicly available information, institutional evidence, and observable diaspora engagement mechanisms.

A high DCRI score does not mean a country has solved its climate financing or resilience challenges. A lower score does not indicate weak overall climate policy.

Instead, DCRI focuses specifically on the institutional conditions surrounding diaspora participation in climate action.

The distinction is important.

For governments and development partners, the index provides a starting point for identifying institutional gaps and learning from countries where stronger engagement mechanisms are emerging.

For philanthropies and development finance institutions, the framework offers another way to consider capacity building alongside climate finance.

For diaspora organizations and professionals, the index highlights the importance of creating structured routes through which expertise and resources can contribute to national priorities.

"Climate finance matters, but readiness determines how effectively countries connect resources with action," Simmonds said. "Our goal is to help countries build the systems needed to engage diaspora communities as long-term partners in climate resilience and economic development."

About the Diaspora Climate Readiness Index

The Diaspora Climate Readiness Index is an initiative of the Diaspora Country Index that evaluates how effctively countries are positioned to mobilize their diasporas to support climate resilience and adaptation.

The current benchmark assesses policies, institutions, networks, research relationships, and evidence of diaspora participation across 10 selected African countries.

Read the Diaspora Climate Readiness Index:

Diaspora Country Index, Diaspora Climate Readiness Index (DCRI)

https://diasporacountryindex.org/diaspora-climate-readiness-index-dcri/

About Diaspora Country Index

Diaspora Country Index (DCI) is an independent, non-partisan platform focused on benchmarking and building diaspora readiness infrastructure for Global South economic transformation.

DCI develops indices, research, case studies, frameworks, and partnerships designed to help governments and development partners strengthen the institutional foundations required to engage diaspora talent, expertise, networks, and capital.

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DCI

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http://diasporacountryindex.org