Economic migration
Javier
Fernández Arribas
The key role of remittances within the new migrations in the Mediterranean
According to the World Bank, remittances sent by migrants from their destination countries to their countries of origin already exceed foreign direct investment and official development assistance in importance. This article explains how Spain and the European Union (EU) should promote the correct use of these remittances, as well as reduce shipping costs, so that the final amount that reaches its destination increases. We must transcend the current crisis management model generated by the tragic images of migrant arrivals on our shores, for a holistic scheme that promotes an orderly and safe migration model that adds to legal protection and social integration – access to essential public services, ownership of political rights and labour insertion – the development of the economies of the countries of origin.