Migration in Burundi: History, Current Trends and Future - MGSoG ...

non-bank money operators predominantly send remittances from the Netherlands to
Burundi (also see Black et al, 2004, p13). The inclusion of unrecorded remittances is
therefore likely to increase the official estimated flow by a factor of 2.5 (Sander, 2003, p5).
This is therefore an area that still requires further research.
6.3.1 Remittances from Burundians in the Netherlands
Compared to other African migrant communities in the Netherlands, Burundians are still
a minority group at slightly above 3000 (CBS, 2009). The small population and the nature
of the economic activities in which that population is engaged will significantly determine
the volumes and frequency of remittances sent back to Burundi. As noted earlier the
Burundian diaspora in the Netherlands is largely composed of political refugees, many of
whom are highly skilled in various fields. These characteristics may further inform their
ability to access the labour market or engage in self-employment.
The total amount of remittances sent from the Netherlands to Africa in 2004 was
estimated to be more than €40 million (Mohogu, 2006) 42 . Country specific estimates are
not available, however. Burundian diaspora groups and individuals interviewed at the
time of drafting this paper, however, confirm regular transfers back to Burundi. Factors
that influence remittances sent by Burundians include their sources of income, income
levels, gender, family commitments (dependants in Burundi), level of education, 43
immigration status, the presence of immediate family members in the Netherlands, and
the duration of stay in the Netherlands. The amounts remitted vary markedly, however it
has been noted that “people with low incomes remit proportionally more money to their
families than people who are more highly educated and have higher incomes. People with
higher income often send back money for investments and construction of houses or
support to a political party.” (De Bryun and Wets 2006, p35). The amount of remittances
sent ranges between €100 and €1000 a month, with a majority of Burundians in the
Netherlands sending money home at least 6 times a year.
The channels used for sending remittances by Burundians in the Netherlands
largely depend on how familiar the remitter is with the channel, trust, proximity to the
service, reliability, and access to the service by receivers back home. Most Burundian
diaspora send remittances home through informal channels. Informal channels include
42 Mindanda Mohogu , Mindanda Research & Consulting, April 2006 African Remittance Markets in the
Netherlands , Study commissioned by Cordaid, Available via http://www.mrc-research.com/projects.htm
43 Less educated and irregular migrants tend to send money home more frequently than other groups.
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