This publication presents the current situation with regard to the magnitude and economic impact of migrants’ remittances to their countries of origin. In 2004, remittances exceeded official development aid in several emigration countries: they totalled USD 126 billion according to IMF estimates.

The book surveys the channels used to collect these funds; the role of banking systems and other financial institutions; the introduction of new technologies and their impact on fund collection; how the funds are transferred; and how to reduce the costs. Focus is also placed on the different ways in which migrants themselves participate -- together with non-governmental organisations, host countries and sending countries -- to open up new avenues for policies on development aid and co-development. The direct role that migrants can play at the local level is highlighted.

Several countries and regions are illustrated: Southern European countries, Mexico, Turkey, North African and sub-Saharan African countries, the Philippines and some Latin American countries.

Executive Summary
Introduction: International Migrant Remittances and their Role in Development by Thomas Straubhaar and Florin P. Vadean
Part I. Financial Flows Generated by Emigration and their Impact on Regional Development
Chapter 1. Migrant Remittances and their Impact on Development in the Home Economies: The Case of Africa by Flore Gubert
Chapter 2. The Remittances of Moroccan Emigrants and their Usage by Bachir Hamdouch
Chapter 3. Mexico: International Migration, Remittances and Development by Rodolfo Garcia Zamora
Chapter 4. Migration, Remittances and their Impact on Economic Development by Ahmet Icduygu
Chapter 5. Migration Policies, Remittances and Economic Development in the Philippines by Carmelita Dimzon
Part II. Remittances and Financial Infrastructure: Challenges and Prospects
Chapter 6. Principal Channels and Costs of Remittances: The Case of Turkey by Elif Koksal an dthomas Liebig
Chapter 7. Western Union and the World Market for Remittances by Khalid Fellahi and Susana de Lima
Chapter 8. The MoneySend and MasterCard Services by Olivier Denis
Annex to Part II. Financial Infrastructures and Remittance via the Banking System and Other Channels: The Cases of Portugal, Morocco, Latin America, and the Caribbean by Jose Nascimento Ribeiro, Laidi El Wardi and Mustapha Khyar, Pedro de Vasconcelos
Part III. Macroeconomic Impact of Remittances
Chapter 9. What is the Macroeconomic Impact of International Remittances on the Home Country? by Jackline Wahba
Chapter 10. Macroeconomic Impact of Remittances by Sena Eken
Chapter 11. Emigrants' Remittances - A Potentially Important Development Tool: The Case of Italy
Chapter 12. Remittances and Development: The Case of Greece by Nicholas Glytsos
Chapter 13. Do International Migration and Remittances Reduce Poverty in Developing Countries? by Richard Adams and John Page
Part IV. Recent Initiatives to Channel Remittances towards Development
Chapter 14. Social Learning as a Productive Project: The Tres por Uno (Three for One) Experience in Zacatecas, Mexico by Natasha Iskander
Chapter 15. Migration, Remittances and Economic Initiatives in Sub-Saharan Africa by Babacar Sall
Chapter 16. "Migration and Development": A Non-Governmental Organisation Involved in Co-Development by Nadia Bentaleb and Jamal Lahoussein
Part V. Remittances and Promotion of Development: Some Proposals
Chapter 17. Incorporating Insights from Migration Research into Policy and Remittances by Jorgen Carling
Chapter 18. Turning Remittances into Investments by Daniela Bobeva
Chapter 19. Motivating Migrants for Social and Economic Development in Mali and Senegal by Mireille Raunet
Chapter 20. The Support of Non-Governmental Organisations in the Collection of Remittances by Jacques Ould Aoudia
Chapter 21. Some Lessons from the Agence Francaise de Developpement in the Field of Co-Development by Guillaume Cruse
Conclusions by Berglind Asgeirsdottir