Migration et pauvreté en Haïti : impacts économiques et sociaux des envois de fonds sur l’inégalité et la pauvreté ?[Migration and Poverty in Haiti: Economic and Social Consequences of Remittances on Inequality and Poverty in Haiti]

There are few studies of the social and economic consequences of remittances from migrant workers on poverty and inequality in their home country until recently, especially in Haiti. The known amount of remittances sent to Haiti by the Haitian diaspora has surpassed one billion U.S. dollars in 2004, and since then arouses the interest of analysts. In this paper, we provide some elements that can help understand what are the consequences of these gifts on poverty and inequality that characterize Haitian society. Although expectations about macroeconomic impacts of remittances on beneficiaries' situation are often taked positively, our analysis shows that it is better to be prudent in predicting positive potential impact of remittances on the economy and Haitian society. Our analysis also raises several questions that deserve deeper investigations.