Remittances during the COVID-19 Pandemic

Abstract

Remittances have been a lifeline for many developing countries, uplifting communities and households above the poverty line. The COVID-19 or Coronavirus pandemic outbreak from January 2020 onwards have seemingly changed many parameters in the world economy, society, politics and culture. As researchers and students of this field, it is likely that for a long while, we will be occupied with analysing and understanding the causes, processes and outcomes of the pandemic in terms of remittance sending behaviour, trends, volumes as well as domino effects in sending communities and households. We know that at times of crisis, altruistic remittance sending behaviour strengthens, understandably to support families left behind. This can still be the case. For example, the National Bank of Georgia reported that remittances received in the country in February 2020 were 9.5 per cent up from February 2019.