Mobilisation of the higly-skilled Diasporas is the new economic challenge for MED countries if they wish to accelerate their economic development in the context of globalisation. For most of the countries forming the MED region, it represents a "win-win" option, which could enable them to increase their sources of external revenues, to benefit from a multi-skilled human capital with a dual culture, and finally to attract more investment projects - initially modest but with a high added value and job prospects (ICT, renewable energy, agribusiness, etc.). Based upon the analysis of the contributions made by hundreds of Mediterranean Diaspora networks for the development of their countries of origin (a directory containing 470 networks of talents from the Mediterranean diaspora has been put together and complements the study), this study aims to bring answers to the following questions:

-For MED countries, how can the circulation of the diaspora's skills be a positive phenomenon helping to reinforce the competitiveness of the economy and to reinforce the innovative abilities?

-On the ground, how can the networks of talents effectively meet domestic needs for productive investments and partnerships? How can the Diasporas' talentslead, through funding, mentoring and coaching, to the emergence of the MED economic champions of tomorrow?

Based on the Chinese and Indian models which have widely used their skilled Diasporas to achieve their technological advances, MED countries should engage with Diasporas' talents using new types of cooperation, more pragmatic and more oriented towards the creation of added value. To move beyond declarations of intentions, ANIMA and Invest in Med propose a concrete and realistic plan of actions to accelerate the engagement of Mediterranean Diasporas' talents in favour of their countries of origin.

To deploy this strategy, a first seminar gathering experts, local economic actors and financial institutions will to take place during the first semester of 2011.