How Do Governance Conditions Influence Knowledge Diaspora Engagement in the Development Agenda of Ethiopia?

Abstract Generating evidence of knowledge diaspora engagement governance conditions is crucial for informed decision-making, yet there is a lack of research of this topic in the Ethiopian context. This study aimed to investigate how governance conditions influence knowledge diaspora engagement in Ethiopia’s development agenda. Qualitative methods, including key informant interviews and focus group discussions with purposely selected stakeholders (such as ministries, diaspora coordinating offices, universities, teaching and referral hospitals and diaspora associations), were employed to generate and analyse the evidence. The study found that, despite the political will, a formal diaspora policy, diaspora coordinating offices and the diaspora’s cultural attachment to their country of origin, actual engagement remains limited. The reasons for this include political instability, incoherent policies, weak collaboration among agencies, lack of engagement strategies, corruption, unnecessarily restrictive bureaucratic service delivery and inadequate monitoring mechanisms. Addressing gaps in the governance conditions would improve the diaspora engagement, thereby enabling Ethiopia to harness the full potential of its knowledge diaspora for national development.