Thursday, August 20, 2009

Remittance Flows to Developing Countries to Decline By 7.3% in 2009, Predicts World Bank


Remittance flows to developing countries are expected to be $304 billion in 2009, down from an estimated $328 billion in 2008, said the World Bank today, releasing a new migration and remittances brief to coincide with an International Diaspora and Development Conference running from July 13-14.

The predicted decline in remittances by -7.3% this year is far smaller than that for private flows to developing countries. According to the World Bank, remittances are relatively resilient because, while new migration flows have declined, the number of migrants living overseas has been relatively unaffected by the crisis.

However, sources of risk to the outlook include uncertainty about the depth and duration of the current crisis, unpredictable movements in exchange rates, and the possibility that immigration controls may be tightened further in major destination countries.

See full Press Release.