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The Global Financial Crisis and Workers' Remittances to Africa: What's the Damage?

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  • Adolfo Barajas
  • Ralph Chami
  • Connel Fullenkamp
  • Anjali Garg

Abstract

We estimate the impact of the recent global economic crisis on remittances into Africa for the period 2009-2010. Interestingly, the majority of remittances seem to flow within the African continent. The magnitude of the forecast decreases in remittance flows into African countries varies between 3 and 14 percentage points. African migrants to Europe will be hardest hit while migrants within Africa will be least affected by the crisis. We estimate the impact of the drop in remittances on home country GDP. For countries where the ratio of these flows to home country GDP is high, GDP is expected to drop by almost 2 percent for 2009. The negative effect of the crisis, however, is likely to be short-lived, as host country income is likely to rise in 2010 for virtually all African remittance-recipient countries.

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  • Adolfo Barajas & Ralph Chami & Connel Fullenkamp & Anjali Garg, 2010. "The Global Financial Crisis and Workers' Remittances to Africa: What's the Damage?," Journal of African Development, African Finance and Economic Association (AFEA), vol. 12(1), pages 73-96.
  • Handle: RePEc:afe:journl:v:12:y:2010:i:1:p:73-96
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Deodat E. Adenutsi & Meshach J. Aziakpono & Matthew K. Ocran, 2011. "The Changing Impact Of Macroeconomic Environment On Remittance Inflows In Sub-Saharan Africa," Journal of Academic Research in Economics, Spiru Haret University, Faculty of Accounting and Financial Management Constanta, vol. 3(2 (July)), pages 136-167.
    2. Nyamongo, Esman Morekwa & Misati, Roseline N. & Kipyegon, Leonard & Ndirangu, Lydia, 2012. "Remittances, financial development and economic growth in Africa," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 64(3), pages 240-260.
    3. Yaw Nyarko, 2014. "The Returns to the Brain Drain and Brain Circulation in Sub-Saharan Africa: Some Computations Using Data from Ghana," NBER Chapters, in: African Successes, Volume II: Human Capital, pages 305-345, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    4. Abida Zouheir & Imen Mohamed Sghaier, 2014. "Remittances, Financial Development and Economic Growth: The Case of North African Countries," Romanian Economic Journal, Department of International Business and Economics from the Academy of Economic Studies Bucharest, vol. 17(51), pages 137-170, March.
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    6. Bentour, El Mostafa, 2013. "Should Moroccan Officials Depend on the Workers’ Remittances to Finance the Current Account Deficit?," MPRA Paper 52290, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 01 May 2013.
    7. Ibrahim Sirkeci & Jeffrey H. Cohen & Dilip Ratha, 2012. "Migration and Remittances during the Global Financial Crisis and Beyond," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 13092, December.
    8. Njangang, Henri & Nembot Ndeffo, Luc & Noubissi Domguia, Edmond & Fosto Koyeu, Prevost, 2018. "The long-run and short-run effects of foreign direct investment, foreign aid and remittances on economic growth in African countries," MPRA Paper 89747, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    9. Edem Kwame Mensah Klobodu & Samuel Adams, 2016. "Capital Flows and Economic Growth in Ghana," Journal of African Business, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 17(3), pages 291-307, September.
    10. Hector Perez-Saiz & Mr. Jemma Dridi & Tunc Gursoy & Mounir Bari, 2019. "The Impact of Remittances on Economic Activity: The Importance of Sectoral Linkages," IMF Working Papers 2019/175, International Monetary Fund.
    11. Uwaoma G. Nwaogu & Michael J. Ryan, 2015. "FDI, Foreign Aid, Remittance and Economic Growth in Developing Countries," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 19(1), pages 100-115, February.
    12. Emmanuel Owusu-Sekyere & Francis M. Kemegue & Reneé van Eyden, 2011. "What drives remittance inflows to Sub-Saharan Africa: A Dynamic Panel Approach," Working Papers 262, Economic Research Southern Africa.
    13. Ouyang, Alice Y. & Paul, Saumik, 2018. "The effect of skilled emigration on real exchange rates through the wage channel," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 89(C), pages 139-153.
    14. Paul, Saumik & Ouyang, Alice & Li, Rachel Cho Suet, 2014. "Skilled emigration and exchange rate : theory and empirics," IDE Discussion Papers 484, Institute of Developing Economies, Japan External Trade Organization(JETRO).
    15. Renee van Eyden & Emmanuel Owusu-Sekyere & Francis Kemegue, 2011. "Remittance Inflows to Sub-Saharan Africa: The Case of SADC," Working Papers 201127, University of Pretoria, Department of Economics.
    16. Sanket Mohapatra & Dilip Ratha, 2010. "Forecasting migrant remittances during the global financial crisis," Migration Letters, Migration Letters, vol. 7(2), pages 203-213, October.
    17. Brown, Martin, 2013. "The transmission of banking crises to households : lessons from the 2008-2011 crises in the ECA region," Policy Research Working Paper Series 6528, The World Bank.
    18. Cuadros-Meñaca, Andres, 2020. "Remittances, health insurance, and pension contributions: Evidence from Colombia," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 127(C).
    19. Adams, Samuel & Klobodu, Edem Kwame Mensah, 2016. "Remittances, regime durability and economic growth in Sub-Saharan Africa (SSA)," Economic Analysis and Policy, Elsevier, vol. 50(C), pages 1-8.
    20. Hien, Nguyen Phuc & Hong Vinh, Cao Thi & Phuong Mai, Vu Thi & Kim Xuyen, Le Thi, 2020. "Remittances, real exchange rate and the Dutch disease in Asian developing countries," The Quarterly Review of Economics and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 131-143.
    21. Apergis, Nicholas & Cooray, Arusha, 2018. "Asymmetric real exchange rates and poverty: The role of remittances," Emerging Markets Review, Elsevier, vol. 35(C), pages 111-119.

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