Somali diaspora’s remittances cast a life line

During two decades of conflict, famines and floods, money sent back home by Somali expatriates — known as remittances — has been instrumental in keeping Somalia afloat. The UN Development Programme estimates that $1.6 billion in remittances is sent back annually by Somali emigrants living in North America and Europe. Abdirashid Duale, a Somali who is chief executive of Dahabshiil, one of the largest money-transfer businesses in Africa, says that such transfers have been “a lifeline” for Somalis.