IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/rej/journl/v18y2015i58p139-162.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Remittances, Economic Freedom, and Economic Growth in North African Countries

Author

Listed:
  • Nahed Zghidi
  • Zouheir Abid

Abstract

This contribution investigates the causal interactions between foreign direct investment (FDI), economic freedom and economic growth in a panel of 4 countries of North Africa (Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria and Egypt) from 1980 to 2012. Using System Generalized Method of Moment (GMM) panel data analysis, we find strong evidence of a positive link between remittances and economic growth. We also find evidence that economic freedom appear to be working as a complement to remittances and, moreover, that the effect of remittances is more pronounced in the presence of the economic freedom variable. Thus, to the extent that remittances have become a major source of external development finance, policies promoting greater freedom of economic activities gain significantly from the presence of remittances.

Suggested Citation

  • Nahed Zghidi & Zouheir Abid, 2015. "Remittances, Economic Freedom, and Economic Growth in North African Countries," Romanian Economic Journal, Department of International Business and Economics from the Academy of Economic Studies Bucharest, vol. 18(58), pages 139-162, December.
    • Handle: RePEc:rej:journl:v:18:y:2015:i:58:p:139-162
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.rejournal.eu/sites/rejournal.versatech.ro/files/articole/2015-12-26/3318/7zghid.pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Arellano, Manuel & Bover, Olympia, 1995. "Another look at the instrumental variable estimation of error-components models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 68(1), pages 29-51, July.
    2. Imai, Katsushi S. & Gaiha, Raghav & Ali, Abdilahi & Kaicker, Nidhi, 2014. "Remittances, growth and poverty: New evidence from Asian countries," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 36(3), pages 524-538.
    3. Jakob De Haan & Susanna Lundström & Jan‐Egbert Sturm, 2006. "Market‐oriented institutions and policies and economic growth: A critical survey," Journal of Economic Surveys, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 20(2), pages 157-191, April.
    4. Acemoglu, Daron & Johnson, Simon & Robinson, James & Thaicharoen, Yunyong, 2003. "Institutional causes, macroeconomic symptoms: volatility, crises and growth," Journal of Monetary Economics, Elsevier, vol. 50(1), pages 49-123, January.
    5. Robert M. Solow, 1956. "A Contribution to the Theory of Economic Growth," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 70(1), pages 65-94.
    6. William Easterly & Ross Levine, 1997. "Africa's Growth Tragedy: Policies and Ethnic Divisions," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 112(4), pages 1203-1250.
    7. Ralph Chami & Connel Fullenkamp & Samir Jahjah, 2005. "Are Immigrant Remittance Flows a Source of Capital for Development?," IMF Staff Papers, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 52(1), pages 55-81, April.
    8. Miguel D. Ramirez & Hari Sharma, 2009. "Remittances and Growth in Latin America: A Panel Unit Root and Panel Cointegration Analysis," Estudios Economicos de Desarrollo Internacional, Euro-American Association of Economic Development, vol. 9(1).
    9. Dani Rodrik, 2004. "Institutions and Economic Performance - Getting Institutions Right," ifo DICE Report, ifo Institute - Leibniz Institute for Economic Research at the University of Munich, vol. 2(2), pages 10-15, October.
    10. Stephen Knack & Philip Keefer, 1995. "Institutions And Economic Performance: Cross‐Country Tests Using Alternative Institutional Measures," Economics and Politics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 7(3), pages 207-227, November.
    11. Mr. Yasser Abdih & Mr. Ralph Chami & Mr. Christian H Ebeke & Mr. Adolfo Barajas, 2012. "Remittances Channel and Fiscal Impact in the Middle East, North Africa, and Central Asia," IMF Working Papers 2012/104, International Monetary Fund.
    12. Abu Siddique & E. A. Selvanathan & Saroja Selvanathan, 2011. "Remittances and Economic Growth: Empirical Evidence from Bangladesh, India and Sri Lanka," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 48(8), pages 1045-1062, October.
    13. Christian Nsiah & Bichaka Fayissa, 2013. "Remittances and economic growth in Africa, Asia, and Latin American-Caribbean countries: a panel unit root and panel cointegration analysis," Journal of Economics and Finance, Springer;Academy of Economics and Finance, vol. 37(3), pages 424-441, July.
    14. Blundell, Richard & Bond, Stephen, 1998. "Initial conditions and moment restrictions in dynamic panel data models," Journal of Econometrics, Elsevier, vol. 87(1), pages 115-143, August.
    15. N. Gregory Mankiw & David Romer & David N. Weil, 1992. "A Contribution to the Empirics of Economic Growth," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 107(2), pages 407-437.
    16. Rafael La Porta & Florencio Lopez-de-Silanes & Andrei Shleifer & Robert W. Vishny, 1998. "Law and Finance," Journal of Political Economy, University of Chicago Press, vol. 106(6), pages 1113-1155, December.
    17. Bjuggren, Per-Olof & Dzansi, James & Shukur, Ghazi, 2010. "Remittances and Investment," Working Paper Series in Economics and Institutions of Innovation 216, Royal Institute of Technology, CESIS - Centre of Excellence for Science and Innovation Studies.
    18. Sufian Eltayeb Mohamed, 2009. "Workers’ Remittances and Growth in MENA Labor Exporting Countries," Working Papers 2009.10, International Network for Economic Research - INFER.
    19. Edward L. Glaeser & Rafael La Porta & Florencio Lopez-de-Silanes & Andrei Shleifer, 2004. "Do Institutions Cause Growth?," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 9(3), pages 271-303, September.
    20. World Bank, 2015. "World Development Indicators 2015," World Bank Publications - Books, The World Bank Group, number 21634.
    21. Knack, Stephen & Keefer, Philip, 1995. "Institutions and Economic Performance: Cross-Country Tests Using Alternative Institutional Indicators," MPRA Paper 23118, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    22. Le, Thanh, 2011. "Remittances for economic development: The investment perspective," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 28(6), pages 2409-2415.
    23. Miguel Ramirez, 2013. "Do Financial and Institutional Variables Enhance the Impact of Remittances on Economic Growth in Latin America and the Caribbean? A Panel Cointegration Analysis," International Advances in Economic Research, Springer;International Atlantic Economic Society, vol. 19(3), pages 273-288, August.
    24. Catrinescu, Natalia & Leon-Ledesma, Miguel & Piracha, Matloob & Quillin, Bryce, 2009. "Remittances, Institutions, and Economic Growth," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 37(1), pages 81-92, January.
    25. Chami Ralph & Hakura Dalia S. & Montiel Peter J., 2012. "Do Worker Remittances Reduce Output Volatility in Developing Countries?," Journal of Globalization and Development, De Gruyter, vol. 3(1), pages 1-25, June.
    26. Giulia Bettin & Riccardo Lucchetti & Alberto Zazzaro, 2009. "Income, consumption and remittances: evidence from immigrants to Australia," Mo.Fi.R. Working Papers 34, Money and Finance Research group (Mo.Fi.R.) - Univ. Politecnica Marche - Dept. Economic and Social Sciences.
    27. Daron Acemoglu & Simon Johnson & James A. Robinson, 2001. "The Colonial Origins of Comparative Development: An Empirical Investigation," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 91(5), pages 1369-1401, December.
    28. Nyamongo, Esman Morekwa & Misati, Roseline N. & Kipyegon, Leonard & Ndirangu, Lydia, 2012. "Remittances, financial development and economic growth in Africa," Journal of Economics and Business, Elsevier, vol. 64(3), pages 240-260.
    29. Bichaka Fayissa & Christian Nsiah, 2010. "The Impact of Remittances on Economic Growth and Development in Africa," The American Economist, Sage Publications, vol. 55(2), pages 92-103, November.
    30. Giulia Bettin & Alberto Zazzaro, 2012. "Remittances And Financial Development: Substitutes Or Complements In Economic Growth?," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 64(4), pages 509-536, October.
    31. Bang, James T. & Mitra, Aniruddha & Wunnava, Phanindra V., 2013. "Financial Liberalization and Remittances: Recent Longitudinal Evidence," IZA Discussion Papers 7497, Institute of Labor Economics (IZA).
    32. Freund, Caroline & Spatafora, Nikola, 2008. "Remittances, transaction costs, and informality," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 86(2), pages 356-366, June.
    33. Guha, Puja, 2013. "Macroeconomic effects of international remittances: The case of developing economies," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 33(C), pages 292-305.
    34. Michael T. Gapen & Mr. Ralph Chami & Mr. Peter J Montiel & Mr. Adolfo Barajas & Connel Fullenkamp, 2009. "Do Workers’ Remittances Promote Economic Growth?," IMF Working Papers 2009/153, International Monetary Fund.
    35. Manuel Arellano & Stephen Bond, 1991. "Some Tests of Specification for Panel Data: Monte Carlo Evidence and an Application to Employment Equations," The Review of Economic Studies, Review of Economic Studies Ltd, vol. 58(2), pages 277-297.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Nahed Zghidi & Imen Mohamed Sghaier & Zouheir Abida, 2018. "Remittances, Institutions, and Economic Growth in North African Countries," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 9(3), pages 804-821, September.
    2. Abida Zouheir & Imen Mohamed Sghaier, 2014. "Remittances, Financial Development and Economic Growth: The Case of North African Countries," Romanian Economic Journal, Department of International Business and Economics from the Academy of Economic Studies Bucharest, vol. 17(51), pages 137-170, March.
    3. Imen Mohamed Sghaier, 2021. "Remittances and Economic Growth in MENA Countries: The Role of Financial Development," Economic Alternatives, University of National and World Economy, Sofia, Bulgaria, issue 1, pages 43-59, March.
    4. Jude Eggoh & Chrysost Bangake & Gervasio Semedo, 2019. "Do remittances spur economic growth? Evidence from developing countries," The Journal of International Trade & Economic Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(4), pages 391-418, May.
    5. Taiwo, Kayode, 2020. "Do remittances spur economic growth in Africa?," MPRA Paper 111029, University Library of Munich, Germany, revised 2021.
    6. Siddiqui, Danish Ahmed & Ahmed, Qazi Masood, 2013. "The effect of institutions on economic growth: A global analysis based on GMM dynamic panel estimation," Structural Change and Economic Dynamics, Elsevier, vol. 24(C), pages 18-33.
    7. Zouheir Abida & Imen Mohamed Sghaier & Nahed Zghidi, 2015. "Financial Development and Economic Growth: Evidence from North African Countries," Economic Alternatives, University of National and World Economy, Sofia, Bulgaria, issue 2, pages 17-33, April.
    8. Afi Etonam Adetou & Komlan Fiodendji, 2019. "Finance, Institutions, Remittances and Economic growth: New Evidence from a Dynamic Panel Threshold Analysis," Journal of Applied Finance & Banking, SCIENPRESS Ltd, vol. 9(2), pages 1-4.
    9. Jounghyeon Kim, 2019. "The Impact of Remittances on Exchange Rate and Money Supply: Does “Openness” Matter in Developing Countries?," Emerging Markets Finance and Trade, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 55(15), pages 3682-3707, December.
    10. Ryan H. Murphy & Colin O’Reilly, 2019. "Applying panel vector autoregression to institutions, human capital, and output," Empirical Economics, Springer, vol. 57(5), pages 1633-1652, November.
    11. Imen Mohamed Sghaier, 2022. "Foreign Capital Inflows and Economic Growth in North African Countries: the Role of Human Capital," Journal of the Knowledge Economy, Springer;Portland International Center for Management of Engineering and Technology (PICMET), vol. 13(4), pages 2804-2821, December.
    12. Slesman, Ly & Baharumshah, Ahmad Zubaidi & Ra'ees, Wahabuddin, 2015. "Institutional infrastructure and economic growth in member countries of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation (OIC)," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 51(C), pages 214-226.
    13. Imad El Hamma, 2018. "Migrant Remittances and Economic Growth: The Role of Financial Development and Institutional Quality," Economie et Statistique / Economics and Statistics, Institut National de la Statistique et des Etudes Economiques (INSEE), issue 503-504, pages 123-142.
    14. Mohammad Salahuddin & Jeff Gow, 2015. "The relationship between economic growth and remittances in the presence of cross-sectional dependence," Journal of Developing Areas, Tennessee State University, College of Business, vol. 49(1), pages 207-221, January-M.
    15. Capolupo, Rosa, 2009. "The New Growth Theories and Their Empirics after Twenty Years," Economics - The Open-Access, Open-Assessment E-Journal (2007-2020), Kiel Institute for the World Economy (IfW Kiel), vol. 3, pages 1-72.
    16. Adnan KHURSHID & Yin KEDONG & Adrian Cantemir CALIN & Cristina Georgiana ZELDEA & Sun QIANG & Duan WENQI, 2020. "Is the Relationship between Remittances and Economic Growth Influenced by the Governance and Development of the Financial Sector? New Evidence from the Developing Countries," Journal for Economic Forecasting, Institute for Economic Forecasting, vol. 0(1), pages 37-56, March.
    17. Aisen, Ari & Veiga, Francisco José, 2013. "How does political instability affect economic growth?," European Journal of Political Economy, Elsevier, vol. 29(C), pages 151-167.
    18. Giulia Bettin & Alberto Zazzaro, 2012. "Remittances And Financial Development: Substitutes Or Complements In Economic Growth?," Bulletin of Economic Research, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 64(4), pages 509-536, October.
    19. Gloria Clarissa O. Dzeha, 2016. "The decipher, theory or empirics: a review of remittance studies," African Journal of Accounting, Auditing and Finance, Inderscience Enterprises Ltd, vol. 5(2), pages 113-134.
    20. Daniel Oto Peralías & Daniel Oto-Peralías & Diego Romero-Ávila, 2012. "Tracing the Link between Government Size and Growth: The Role of Public Sector Quality," EcoMod2012 4015, EcoMod.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Economic freedom index; remittances; economic growth; Panel data analysis.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • F24 - International Economics - - International Factor Movements and International Business - - - Remittances
    • O10 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - General
    • O43 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Growth and Aggregate Productivity - - - Institutions and Growth

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:rej:journl:v:18:y:2015:i:58:p:139-162. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Radu Lupu (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://edirc.repec.org/data/frasero.html .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.