A new 2026 analysis from the International Fund for Agricultural Development (IFAD) has underscored the outsized and growing role of diaspora remittances as a foundational economic pillar for low- and middle-income nations around the world, with small, crisis-battered Haiti emerging as one of the most dependent economies in the Latin American and Caribbean region.
Released publicly on September 14, the report, titled *Sending Money Home 2026. Beyond remittances : From lifeline to resilience – one family at a time*, documents that total global remittance flows to low- and middle-income countries hit $728.6 billion in 2025. This figure is more than four times the total volume of official development assistance disbursed to these economies in the same year, and it also outpaces total foreign direct investment inflows to the group.
Over the 10-year period from 2016 to 2025, the report finds remittances have established themselves as one of the most stable and largest sources of household-level funding across the globe. Unlike more volatile capital flows that can dry up during economic downturns or global crises, remittances have consistently enabled family units to cover basic needs, build long-term adaptive resilience to shocks, and make strategic investments that improve future outcomes. Across the decade, total remittance volumes grew by 94% – a rate that outpaces both population growth and the expansion of emigration out of low- and middle-income countries.
Currently, the data shows 220 million migrants and diaspora members send financial support back to 1.1 billion family members in their countries of origin, meaning remittance income reaches roughly one out of every six people globally. Nearly one-third of all remittance funds, equal to approximately $233 billion, flow to rural areas, where access to formal jobs, mainstream financial services, and core public infrastructure is often severely constrained. For many rural households, these cross-border transfers are not just supplemental income – they are a lifeline that enables basic survival.
Latin America and the Caribbean recorded the fastest regional remittance growth of any region over the past decade, with total inflows surging 132% to reach $168.6 billion in 2025. Within that regional trend, Haiti’s remittance profile stands out for its extraordinary dependence on these cross-border transfers. In 2025 alone, Haiti received $4.111 billion in total remittances, marking an 85% growth in flows over the 2016–2025 decade.
As a share of Haiti’s total gross domestic product, remittances make up 17% of the country’s entire annual economic output. Even more strikingly, remittance volumes equal 822% of Haiti’s total exports of goods and services, placing Haiti among the top five most remittance-dependent economies in Latin America and the Caribbean, alongside Honduras, El Salvador, Nicaragua, and Guatemala.
In terms of transfer costs, the report notes the average fee for sending $200 to Haiti through non-bank service providers was 5.4% in 2025, a figure that remains above global targets to reduce remittance costs but is lower than historic averages for the country. Consistent with broader regional trends, remittances in Haiti function as a critical lifeline for households navigating persistent challenges, including widespread economic instability, chronic insecurity, recurring natural disasters, and the growing impacts of climate change.
The full 61-page English version of the IFAD report is available for public download via the HaitiLibre news portal.
