Determinants and macroeconomic impact of remittances in Sub-Saharan Africa

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Periodical article

Title:	Determinants and macroeconomic impact of remittances in Sub-Saharan Africa
Author:	Singh, Raju Jan
Year:	2011
Periodical:	Journal of African Economies (ISSN 0963-8024)
Volume:	20
Issue:	2
Pages:	312-340
Language:	English
Geographic term:	Subsaharan Africa
Subjects:	remittances economic development 1990-1999 2000-2009
External link:	https://jae.oxfordjournals.org/content/20/2/312.full.pdf
Abstract:	This paper investigates the determinants and the macroeconomic role of remittances in sub-Saharan Africa. It assembles the most comprehensive data set available so far on remittances in the region; it comprises data for 36 countries for 1990 through 2008, and incorporates newly available data on the size and location of the diaspora. The authors find that remittances are larger for countries with a larger diaspora or when the diaspora is located in wealthier countries, and that they behave counter-cyclically, consistent with a role as a shock absorber. Although the effect of remittances in growth regressions is negative, countries with well functioning domestic institutions seem nevertheless to be better at unlocking the potential for remittances to contribute to faster economic growth. App., bibliogr., notes, ref., sum. [Journal abstract]