Paradiplomacy and the role of subnational authorities in the implementation of diaspora policies. The case of decentralized cooperation between France and Mali

This article critically reflects on the approach of non-state actors involved in migration policies by exploring the implementation of diaspora policies in sub-Saharan Africa. It builds on growing interest in diversity and local integration policies intended for sub-Saharan migrants in Europe. Indeed, since the mid-1980s, local authorities and scholars in European countries have focused their attention on local policy development for immigrants within their territories. This article contributes to the literature on international development and global governance of migration by questioning both origin and host countries subnational authorities’ use of international development in the governance of migrant communities. It demonstrates how diasporic practices and policies interact with the structure and paradiplomatic strategies of subnational authorities in countries of origin and destination. It also examines how, through these activities, diaspora actors have acquired a status as political entrepreneurs and a legitimacy for political intervention comparable to that of subnational authorities.