The Statistical Center for the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) states announced today, Sunday, that the total remittances sent by expatriates in the Gulf countries to their home countries reached $131.5 billion by the end of 2023.  

A report issued by the center stated that the total remittances decreased by approximately half a billion dollars compared to 2022, a decline of 0.4 percent, following the significant increases recorded in 2021 and 2022, which were 9.2 percent and 3.8 percent, respectively.  

The report added that the proportion of these remittances relative to the Gulf GDP (at current prices) declined from 8.1 percent in 2020 to 6 percent in 2022, before rising slightly in 2023 to remain at 6.2 percent.  

It explained that the volume of remittances from GCC countries is the "highest" globally, followed by remittances from the United States.  

The Gulf Statistical Center, headquartered in Oman, is the official authority for data, information, and statistics related to the GCC countries. Established to serve as the official source of statistics, it enhances statistical and informational work for national statistical centers and planning agencies in the GCC states.