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Remittances and Economic Growth in Africa, Asia, and Latin American-Caribbean Countries: A Panel Unit Root and Panel Cointegration Analysis

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  • Bichaka Fayissa
  • Christian Nsiah

Abstract

This study estimates the macroeconomic impact of remittances and some control variables such as openness of the economy, capital/labor ratio, and economic freedom on the economic growth of African, Asian, and Latin American-Caribbean countries using newly developed panel unit-root tests, cointegration tests, and Panel Fully Modified OLS (PFMOLS). We use annual panel data from 1985- 2007for 64 countries consisting of 29 from Africa, 14 from Asia, and 21 from Latin America and the Caribbean region, respectively. We find that remittances, openness of the economy, and capital labor ratio have positive and significant effect on economic growth for all regions as a group and in each of the three in study. While the economic freedom index also has a positive and significant effect on growth in Africa and Latin America, however, its effect on the economic growth of Asia is mixed.

Suggested Citation

  • Bichaka Fayissa & Christian Nsiah, 2011. "Remittances and Economic Growth in Africa, Asia, and Latin American-Caribbean Countries: A Panel Unit Root and Panel Cointegration Analysis," Working Papers 201103, Middle Tennessee State University, Department of Economics and Finance.
    • Handle: RePEc:mts:wpaper:201103
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Jean-Paul Azam & Flore Gubert, 2006. "Migrants' Remittances and the Household in Africa: A Review of Evidence," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies (CSAE), vol. 15(2), pages 426-462, December.
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    6. Choi, In, 2001. "Unit root tests for panel data," Journal of International Money and Finance, Elsevier, vol. 20(2), pages 249-272, April.
    7. Adams, Richard H., Jr., 1991. "The effects of international remittances on poverty, inequality, and development in rural Egypt:," Research reports 86, International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI).
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    Cited by:

    1. Nahed Zghidi & Zouheir Abid, 2015. "Remittances, Economic Freedom, and Economic Growth in North African Countries," Romanian Economic Journal, Department of International Business and Economics from the Academy of Economic Studies Bucharest, vol. 18(58), pages 139-162, December.
    2. Sondra Collins & Edward Nissan, 2016. "Comparing Africa, Asia and Latin America/Caribbean countries using per capita GDP, remittances, openness, capital/labor ratios and freedom," Journal of Economics and Finance, Springer;Academy of Economics and Finance, vol. 40(1), pages 188-198, January.
    3. Sondra Collins & Edward Nissan, 2016. "Comparing Africa, Asia and Latin America/Caribbean countries using per capita GDP, remittances, openness, capital/labor ratios and freedom," Journal of Economics and Finance, Springer;Academy of Economics and Finance, vol. 40(1), pages 188-198, January.
    4. Bichaka Fayissa & Christian Nsiah, 2012. "Financial Development and Remittances in Africa and the Americas: A Panel Unit-Root Tests and Panel Cointegration Analysis," Working Papers 201201, Middle Tennessee State University, Department of Economics and Finance.
    5. 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.
    6. repec:eee:wdevel:v:96:y:2017:i:c:p:438-450 is not listed on IDEAS
    7. Lim, Sokchea & Simmons, Walter O., 2015. "Do remittances promote economic growth in the Caribbean Community and Common Market?," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 77(C), pages 42-59.
    8. Abdilahi Ali & Baris Alpaslan, 2013. "Do Migrant Remittances Complement Domestic Investment? New Evidence from Panel Cointegration," The School of Economics Discussion Paper Series 1308, Economics, The University of Manchester.
    9. repec:jda:journl:vol.51:year:2017:issue1:pp:63-82 is not listed on IDEAS
    10. Sokchea Lim & Walter O. Simmons, 2016. "What Have Remittances Done to Development? Evidence from the Caribbean Community and Common Market," The Review of Black Political Economy, Springer;National Economic Association, vol. 43(3), pages 343-361, December.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Workers’ Remittances; Economic Growth; Unit-Root tests; Error Correction Model; PFMOLS; Panel Data; Africa; Asia; Latin America/Caribbean;

    JEL classification:

    • E21 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Consumption, Saving, Production, Employment, and Investment - - - Consumption; Saving; Wealth
    • F21 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - International Investment; Long-Term Capital Movements
    • G22 - Financial Economics - - Financial Institutions and Services - - - Insurance; Insurance Companies; Actuarial Studies
    • J61 - Labor and Demographic Economics - - Mobility, Unemployment, Vacancies, and Immigrant Workers - - - Geographic Labor Mobility; Immigrant Workers
    • O16 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Financial Markets; Saving and Capital Investment; Corporate Finance and Governance

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