Diaspora, development and urbanization: Returning Burkinabé migrants key players in Ouagadougou urban projects ZACA and Ouaga 2000 (Burkina Faso) [Diaspora, développement et urbanisation: Des Burkinabè de l'étranger acteurs des projets urbains de Zaca et Ouaga 2000 à Ouagadougou (Burkina Faso)]

摘要

In the context of a new research project concerning the link between migration and urbanization, this article seeks to explain how migrants, through their investments, contribute to the urban fabric of their country of origin and become key players in the development of cities. The return of the Burkinabè from the Ivory Coast, considered by the Burkina government of B. Compaoré as a risk of economic and social destabilization, has generated a new vision of the migration phenomenon. The Burkinabè coming from foreign countries used to be disregarded, but are now considered as potential developers. Since 2002, the public and private sectors have been setting up schemes not only to facilitate but also to orient their investment projects in the country. The process involves channelling migrants'money towards two big urban projects in Ouagadougou, ZACA and Ouaga 2000, which must display the thriving advance and modernity of a dynamic capital. The migrants, formerly initiators of development projects, now fit into urban projects already devised by the State according to a western model. At the centre of policies set up to make use of them, they seem to be losing their autonomy, but their ability to re-appropriate the urban projects remains.