The Impact of Natural Disasters on Remittances to Low- and Middle-Income Countries |
| |
Authors: | Giulia Bettin Alberto Zazzaro |
| |
Institution: | 1. Università Politecnica delle Marche and Mo.Fi.R., Ancona, Italyg.bettin@univpm.it;3. Università Politecnica delle Marche and Mo.Fi.R., Ancona, Italy;4. Universita degli Studi di Napoli Federico II and CSEF, Napoli, Università Politecnica delle Marche and Mo.Fi.R., Ancona, Italy |
| |
Abstract: | In this paper, we offer novel empirical evidence on the impact of natural disasters on remittance flows towards low- and middle-income countries. We consider a panel of 98 countries over the period 1990–2010. Our findings show that remittances increase after a disaster, thus contributing ex post to the reconstruction process. At the same time, we find that remittances play a key role in terms of ex ante risk preparedness for those countries that experienced more disruptive events in the past. Finally, when taking into account the interaction with the level of development of the local financial sector, remittances seem to substitute for less efficient financial systems both in terms of ex post response to disasters and in terms of ex ante risk management strategy. |
| |
Keywords: | |
|
|