Methodologies for Data Collection on Remittances – Strengths, Weaknesses, and Challenges Based on the Case of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates

Bachelor's Thesis Methodologies for Data Collection on Remittances – Strengths, Weaknesses, and Challenges Based on the Case of Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates focuses on the methodologies of remittance data collection in Egypt, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates. In all the countries examined, remittances play a significant role, yet their accurate tracking presents numerous challenges, primarily due to the high number of transactions sent through various remittance channels, some of which are very difficult to monitor. The aim of the thesis is to identify differences between individual methodologies, the reasons behind them, and to highlight their strengths and weaknesses. The first two chapters primarily rely on secondary sources to create a relevant context that enables a meaningful comparison of the methodologies. This comparison is carried out in the third chapter. For information on data collection methodologies, primary documents from institutions responsible for remittance data in each country are used. At the end of the third chapter, the methodologies are compared using a SWOT analysis. It follows that the thesis is a comparative case study. In the conclusion, it is stated that the methodologies used in Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates are not fully transparent. The strength of Egypt’s methodology lies in its attempt to capture both formal and informal remittances. However, shortcomings are also identified in how this is implemented in practice. In the case of Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates, the ability to accurately capture formal remittances is emphasized, while a significant weakness is identified in the failure to monitor informal remittance channels.