The Afghan diaspora remittances: A lifeline for families and (potential) contributions to development

An estimated ten million Afghans live outside Afghanistan due to more than four decades of war, conflict, and fear of persecution. The Afghan diaspora have done much to support their families and relatives primarily in Afghanistan. They also contribute to Afghanistan’s development through remittances, individually and collectively. However, no single study has yet examined and provided an integrated overview of the different forms of remittances to Afghanistan. Therefore, this chapter aims to fill this gap based on remittances data from the World Bank-KNOMAD, available literature, and the authors’ expertise in studying Afghan diaspora engagement in Afghanistan. This chapter is important to contribute to the knowledge and literature, and to further inform stakeholders about the importance of engaging the Afghan diaspora in the development of Afghanistan.