Download or read book Informal Funds Transfer Systems written by Mr.Samuel Munzele Maimbo and published by International Monetary Fund. This book was released on 2003-08-18 with total page 74 pages. Available in PDF, EPUB and Kindle. Book excerpt: Since the terrorist attacks of September 11, 2001, there has been increased public interest in informal funds transfer (IFT) systems. This paper examines the informal hawala system, an IFT system found predominantly in the Middle East and South Asia. The paper examines the historical and socioeconomic context within which the hawala has evolved, the operational features that make it susceptible to potential financial abuse, the fiscal and monetary implications for hawala-remitting and hawala-recipient countries, and current regulatory and supervisory responses.