Altruism and Workers’ Remittances: Evidence from Selected Countries in the Middle East and Central Asia

May 1, 2006

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Jacques Bouhga-Hagbe. Altruism and Workers’ Remittances: Evidence from Selected Countries in the Middle East and Central Asia, (USA: International Monetary Fund, 2006) accessed December 23, 2024

Disclaimer: This Working Paper should not be reported as representing the views of the IMF.The views expressed in this Working Paper are those of the author(s) and do not necessarily represent those of the IMF or IMF policy. Working Papers describe research in progress by the author(s) and are published to elicit comments and to further debate

Summary

Workers' remittances have been playing an increasingly important role in the balance of payments of many countries and can significantly contribute to the strength of their external positions. Assessing the likely stability of remittance flows could be a valuable input to the analysis of their external vulnerabilities. This paper argues that "altruism," as a motive to send money home, would contribute to the stability of these flows. Using a simple framework that relates workers' remittances to agricultural GDP, which is used as an indicator of economic "hardship" in the home country, evidence suggests that altruism could have played an important role in the flow of remittances to Egypt, Jordan, Morocco, Pakistan, and Tunisia in recent years.

Subject: Exchange rates, External position, Outward remittances, Remittances, Service exports

Keywords: Exchange rate, Money, Money home, Remittance, Remittance flow, WP

Publication Details

Pages:

29
Volume:

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DOI:

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Issue:

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Series:

Working Paper No. 2006/130
Stock No:

WPIEA2006130
ISBN:

9781451863901
ISSN:

1018-5941

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