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Time of India
3 days ago
- Business
- Time of India
Trump remittance tax to hit Africans hard
Representative AI image For Enoch Aikins, a political economist who focuses on Africa, the topic of sending money home to relatives is personal. "I can use myself as an example, as somebody that comes from a typical village with a lot of people or [with] a family that depends on me," he told DW. A researcher with the Institute of Security Studies now based in Pretoria, South Africa, Aikins grew up in the small town of Agona Kwanyako, about 70 kilometers (some 43 miles) from the Ghanaian capital, Accra. His job means he can provide a vital source of income for many in his family back home in Ghana, whether it be for his mother's medical bills or for his cousins' education. "Anytime there's a family problem, they call me and I have to quickly find a way to send money to them to solve an emergency crisis," he said. "Mostly it is household expenses, things like food, accommodation, school fees or to cover medical expenses." A global impact Aikins is one of many millions of Africans across the continent and around the world who send remittances, which are financial transfers to their home country or region. The importance of these financial transfers has come into sharp focus as a result of the recent tax bill from US President Donald Trump, passed on May 22 by the House of Representatives. The measure includes a 3.5% tax on remittances made by anyone who is not a US citizen or national. The original plan was for the tax to be 5% but it was lowered before the vote. The bill has led to fierce criticism across Latin America, where it is likely to severely hurt poor migrants from Mexico, Central and South America. Africans will also be significantly affected, according to Aikins. "We cannot tell them how to go about their fiscal business, but this is going to have a huge impact on African economies." World Bank data shows that remittance flows into Africa were more than $92 billion (€81 billion) in 2024, with the United States alone accounting for at least $12 billion in that year. According to World Bank, the US is also the largest origin country for all remittances in the world, accounting for more than $656 billion in 2023. Monica de Bolle, a senior fellow at the Peterson Institute for International Economics in Washington, DC, said, however, here is a lack of reliable data on remittances because so much is not sent via recorded transactions. "People have different arrangements for sending money back home," she told DW. "Sometimes it's as official as a family member comes and visits and then they get a wad of cash and they go back home with that. And those kinds of transactions are simply unaccounted for." N onetheless, whatever data is available, she argued, underlines the importance of the US as a source of remittances for Africa and much of the Americas. How important are remittances for Africa? Remittances are important across Africa for three key reasons. Firstly, they represent a major chunk of income for many of the continent's economies, many of which are among the world's poorest. Recent data suggests annual remittances now outweigh both aid and foreign direct investment (FDI) as income flows into the continent. Aikins said remittances are the "largest external financial flow into Africa" at the moment. "There are no bottlenecks or administrative issues that, for instance, if you are giving aid of about $100 million to an African country or an institution, more than half is gone on administration before it reaches people," he added. Then there's the fact that it's typically lower-income groups that are most reliant on remittances from relatives or friends working abroad. "It's extremely damaging," said Monica de Bolle. "A lot of the time, these flows are coming from low-income folks in the United States to their home countries and their families who are also not well off." Some African countries will be hit harder than others. While the continent's big economies, such as Egypt, Nigeria, and Morocco, account for the highest total level of remittances from abroad, some economies are especially dependent, according to Aikins. World Bank data shows that remittances received as a percentage of GDP is around 20% for Lesotho, Comoros, Somalia, Gambia, and Liberia. 'Taking money out of people's pockets' De Bolle is critical of the remittance levy and thinks migrants will find ways of avoiding the tax. "People who are sending money back home, if they were using official channels to do this, they're now going to try to use unofficial channels to do it because they will want to evade the tax." She points out that taxation of remittances is rare globally and thinks the policy is part of the Trump administration's campaign against illegal migration. "The effect will be squeezing the migrants, squeezing the people who are currently living in the United States, shutting off mechanisms by which not only they sustain themselves, but they sustain their family members," said Bolle. "Bottom line is that remittances are a pocketbook issue. You are taking money out of people's pockets." Aikins' remittances won't be taxed, as they are not coming from the US. Yet he can clearly imagine the real-life consequences for someone in a village like the one he grew up in who is dependent on a relative sending money from the US. When he gets a request for money, it's needed quickly, and he thinks migrants will turn increasingly to cryptocurrency and other off-grid methods to send the money where it needs to go. "The tax is going to have a tremendous effect on how people send money to their dependents back home."
Epoch Times
02-05-2025
- Politics
- Epoch Times
JD Vance Fulfills Promise to Celebrate His Mother's 10-Year Sobriety at White House
Commentary WASHINGTON—Vice President JD Vance stood at the head of the table in the Roosevelt Room during one of the most significant moments of his life, joined by his mother, Beverly Aikins. Despite the presence of about 20 family members and friends, including his wife, Usha, and their three children, there was a brief moment when it felt like only JD and his mother existed as their eyes met and locked. 'I remember when I gave my RNC convention speech, which was the craziest thing, and I even said during the speech that we would have your 10-year medallion ceremony at the White House,' Vance said, smiling as he motioned around the historic West Wing meeting room named after two former presidents. 'Well, here we are. And you made it, and we made it. And most importantly, you're celebrating a very, very big milestone. And I'm just very proud of you,' he said as he teared up, adding, 'I'm, I'm gonna try not to cry here.' For everyone in attendance who had traveled from Kentucky and Ohio to share this important milestone with Aikins and Vance, the word 'here' wasn't just significant because they were in the White House conference room across from the Oval Office. The word 'here' also meant that Aikins had survived the addiction that had left her and her son's lives in turmoil for decades. Sitting to her son's left as her two grandsons intermittently sat beside her or on her lap, she listened as he recalled her story of recovery, redemption and hope with the watchful eye of Theodore Roosevelt's Rough Rider portrait above him. Related Stories 4/11/2025 3/28/2025 'When I think about everything you've accomplished over the last 10 years and the fact that when I was thinking about becoming a father, I didn't know whether you would live long enough to have a relationship with my kids. And now here they are, almost 8, 5 and 3, and you're the best grandmother that these kids could ever ask for,' he said as both son and mother's eyes welled. 'It is really an amazing thing to watch. It is one of the great blessings of becoming a father, is that I've been able to see these kids develop the love and the affection for you and to see it in return. And that's just an incredible blessing,' Vance said. Aikins told me that just over 10 years ago, she would not have been able to enjoy her relationship with her children, nor would she have been able to do the other passion in her life, nursing, because of the debilitating addictions to alcohol, heroin and pretty much anything else she used to get high that had consumed every aspect of her life. Aikins' mother, Bonnie Vance, 'Mamaw' to JD Vance, was profoundly influential in her grandson's life and helped raise JD with the help of his older sister, Lindsay, when Aikins could not. Vance recalled his tumultuous childhood with the ups and downs of Aikins' addiction in his 2016 memoir 'Hillbilly Elegy,' which came out the year after she became sober. She made her debut on the national stage during the Republican National Convention when her son accepted President Donald Trump's nomination to be his running mate. The world saw the petite Aikins, her thick curly hair framing her face, glowing with pride and emotion as her son recalled the challenges in their lives before he announced she had been sober for almost 10 years—a proclamation that caused those in the crowd to rise to their feet and burst into chants of 'JD's mom!' Vance smiled telling the story of the conversation Bev had with someone who happened to be seated beside her just before he started his big speech as the new vice presidential nominee at the RNC in Milwaukee in July. 'Mom, who was sitting next to President Trump, and sitting next to another guy, sort of a shorter guy, good looking, very well spoken, very kind, and Mom turns to him and says 'Who are you? You work in politics too?' And he says, 'I'm Mike Johnson, I'm the speaker of the House,'' Vance said as the people in the room erupted into laughter. 'One of the things I love about Mom is that she just treats you the same. Whether you are the president of the United States, whether you're a beloved family member, whether you're an addict who is celebrating not 10 years but 10 hours of sobriety, you're always a friend to Mom. You're always a family member to Mom.' Vance said one of the great things that recovery does is provide moments like this when you can bring family and friends together and celebrate the relationships you can regain. 'I meet a lot of people who think that there is no other side for those who suffer from addiction. Unfortunately, we know that for some, that's true, but for many, there is another side. And you know, sometimes you get another opportunity with your friends and your family. Sometimes, you get an opportunity to be a great grandmother to your grandchildren. And sometimes, you end up celebrating your 10-year medallion ceremony a couple of months late here in the White House,' he said. The room was filled with applause, tears and hugs. There were several people there who weren't members of her immediate family but who were people in recovery who had hit rock bottom just as Aikins had, people she had guided through recovery in her role as a detox nurse. Aikins regained her nursing license a couple of years ago and now works at a substance abuse treatment center as a nurse educator. 'I teach the patients, and then I'm just there for them. That is my purpose—to help people,' Aikins said. Aikins wasn't alone in her struggle with drug addiction. According to the 2023 United States National Survey on Drug Use and Health, 48.5 million, or 16.7 percent of Americans aged 12 and older, battled a substance abuse disorder in the past year, including 10.2 percent who suffered from alcohol abuse specifically. Many of those addicted die. In 2022, the Centers for Disease Control and Prevention reported that overdoses claimed 101,623 lives. A separate study published by the CDC showed there is hope, finding 3 out of 4 people who experience addiction eventually recover, in large part because of people like Bev, who become forces of nature in helping people. Vance said that what was so great about this moment was that his mother was always the kind of person people could rely on. 'That's what addiction took away. But that's what recovery has given back, is that you are a person that others can rely on. And I know you're an inspiration to a lot of people in the recovery and addiction community. So, uh, from the bottom of my heart and speaking for the whole family, we love you,' he said. Vance then pulled something out of his pocket and slipped it into her hand. 'This is one of the president's challenge coins,' he said. 'He asked me to give this to you. And I will say that I love you, and I'm so glad that we're here. I love you.' The two embraced, and then Vance composed himself. 'And now anybody, just like a, a good old 'hillbilly funeral,' I'm gonna invite anybody who wants to say anything to come up here and say a few words about your friend, about your sister, about your loved one, about Mom in her 10 years of sobriety,' Vance said. And with that, the 'hillbilly funeral' commenced, beginning with Aikins' younger sister Lori Vance telling a hilarious story of caring for her while she was in recovery. Another woman, Michele, said she had been living in her car for over a year, hadn't seen her young son and couldn't hold a job when she met Aikins. 'Your kindness changed my life,' she said, adding, 'I just celebrated two years in recovery. Woo.' It was a stateroom meant for dignitaries and decision-makers. Only on this day, it was filled with everyday Americans, the sons and daughters of steelworkers, nurses and clerks, people in awe of having the privilege of not just being in the White House but also honoring a grandmother who almost didn't make it to see her grandchildren, or see her son overcome every disadvantage to become a Marine, a U.S. senator and the vice president. Her niece Rachael Vance's remarks were the most powerful and hilarious. 'Addiction is honestly something that I don't understand. I don't take my coffee the same way every day. I don't stay married to the same people. And the idea of wanting something over and over again is totally foreign. I don't get it,' she said. 'But one thing I do understand is courage because it was a core value of my old fraternity. And John Wayne described courage as being scared to death but saddling up,' she said, referencing her service in the Marine Corps. 'I understand that Bev fell, and fell again and again a couple more times after that. But she mustered up the courage to face her fears and learn from mistakes. She dealt with her pain by saddling up and fighting a good fight. I'm happy for this day, not just for your family or your friends, your kids, the grandkids, but for you because your enduring courage paid off, and it led you to the gift of getting to hear me speak at the White House,' she said as everyone in the room laughed. 'I'm very proud of you, and I look forward to abusing you for 10 more years,' Rachael deadpanned. After repeatedly stealing hugs from her grandchildren, Aikins took her son's spot at the head of the table and looked around the room to offer her thanks. For those who have never met her, the first thing you note is that she and her son share the same striking blue eyes. The second thing you note is her sense of humor. 'So, how are you doing?' she asks, and her tone turns serious. 'When I tell my story or give my lead, as we call it in the recovery community, I tell everybody I think like a drug addict, so I wish that I could put what made me change in pill form, but in all honesty, it was the loss of my family,' she said. 'I hit rock bottom when my parents died. My brother and sister weren't speaking to me. My kids weren't speaking to me. I knew that I had to do something different. And that, you know, for this drug addict, is what saved, that's what changed, that's what saved my life,' she said. Aikins looked around the room of people gathered to celebrate her day and smiled. 'Today I'm grateful,' she said, and then her voice wavered. 'I don't know why I'm touched. I told JD we didn't have to do this,' she said of holding the event in the White House. 'I love my family more than anything,' she said, looking at JD, Usha and the three grandkids, adding, 'I pray a lot more, and hopefully, God gives me several more years to watch these guys grow up. I love you all. Thank you so much for being here. Now, let's celebrate. Yay.' Everyone then enjoyed a beautiful chocolate cake with white icing, the presidential seal in the center, and underneath that, 'Congratulations, Bev!' Vance had one more gift to give his mother and his family before they left: a personal tour of the West Wing of the White House, guided and narrated by the vice president. His family was as awestruck as the 40-year-old vice president was two days after he and Trump were sworn in, when he told Speaker Mike Johnson (R-La.) as he entered the Oval Office, 'I've never been inside this room. This is incredible.' As they walked along the West Colonnade toward the South Lawn for a family photo, Aikins told me she was humbled by the outpouring of love and support from everyone but also just by making it to this moment. 'It is an important milestone. It kind of brings everything full circle, and I know it was important to JD because he kept talking about doing it, and I kept putting him off,' she said, smiling. 'He wanted to make it so special for everybody, and he is such a good boy,' she said. As Vance wrangled the family together for a portrait, with both boys saluting for the pose, I asked him what this day meant for him. He smiled and said, 'It is a good day. It is a very good day.' Views expressed in this article are opinions of the author and do not necessarily reflect the views of The Epoch Times.
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
JD Vance honors his mother at White House for reaching 10 years sobriety
Vice President JD Vance honored his mother, Beverly Aikins, at the White House Monday to commemorate her reaching 10 years of sobriety. "I remember when I gave my (Republican National Committee) convention speech, which was the craziest thing, and I even said during the speech that we would have your 10-year medallion ceremony at the White House," Vance said in the White House's Roosevelt Room, according to the Washington Examiner. Vance's 'America First' Approach Goes Global, Takes Hardline Message To Greenland "Well, here we are," Vance said. "And you made it, and we made it. And most importantly, you're celebrating a very, very big milestone. And I'm just very proud of you." At the Republican National Convention in July, Vance said that Aikins would hit 10 years of sobriety in January and promised to bring her to the White House "if President Trump is okay with it." Vance presented Aikins with a medallion on Monday to celebrate the major milestone. Vance outlined his mother's battle with sobriety and substance abuse in his book, "Hillbilly Elegy: A Memoir of a Family and Culture in Crisis," published in 2016. Specifically, the book chronicles Aikins' struggle with opioid addiction. Read On The Fox News App According to Vance's office, Aikins' advice to those struggling with substance abuse issues is "to reach out, to try to get help, and that recovery is hard, but it's so worth it." Aikins, who also attended the inauguration ceremony for Vance and President Donald Trump in January, is a nurse at an addiction recovery center in Ohio. "Hillbilly Elegy" details how Aikins first obtained access to prescription medications. As a result of Aikins' struggle with addiction, Vance eventually was raised by both his grandparents. Vance previously told Fox News in an interview in July 2024 that had his mother had access to drugs coming through the Mexican border, he doesn't believe she would have survived. "If the poison that is coming across the border now had been coming across 20 years ago, I don't think that my mom would be here," Vance told Fox News' Jesse Watters. Those who joined Vance at the White House on Monday include his wife, Usha Vance, as well as the couple's three children, according to the article source: JD Vance honors his mother at White House for reaching 10 years sobriety
Telegraph
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Telegraph
JD Vance's mother celebrates 10 years of sobriety at White House
JD Vance's mother, Beverly Aikins, has celebrated 10 years of sobriety at a ceremony at the White House. Surrounded by friends and family Ms Aitkins received a medallion marking her decade in recovery on Friday. Her struggle with drug and alcohol addiction was laid bare in Mr Vance's memoir Hillbilly Elegy and during the vice-presidential debate last October. 'I was raised in a working class family,' he said. 'My mother required food assistance for periods of her life. My grandmother required social security help to raise me. 'And she raised me in part because my own mother struggled with addiction for a big chunk of my early life.' Ms Aikins grew up in a violent household. Her addiction issues began when, working as a nurse, she would take painkillers to ease headaches. She later began taking the opioid Percocet and finally heroin. Her recovery started in 2015. After living in her car, she moved into a sober living facility and her successful recovery was celebrated by Mr Vance when he accepted the vice-presidential nomination. During his acceptance speech, the vice-president said: 'I'm proud to say that tonight my mom is here, 10 years clean and sober. I love you, mom. And, you know, mom, I was thinking. 'It'll be 10 years officially in January of 2025, and if president Trump's okay with it, let's have the celebration in the White House.' Ms Aikins is now a nurse at an addiction recovery centre in Cincinnati. Mr Trump's younger brother, Fred Trump, struggled with alcoholism before his death aged 42. The president has eschewed alcohol his whole life, and has often said the tragedy inspired him to remain teetotal. At White House dinners, the president toasts his guests with Diet Coke.
Yahoo
07-04-2025
- Politics
- Yahoo
JD Vance's mother celebrates 10 years of sobriety at White House
JD Vance's mother, Beverly Aikins, has celebrated 10 years of sobriety at a ceremony at the White House. Surrounded by friends and family Ms Aitkins received a medallion marking her decade in recovery on Friday. Her struggle with drug and alcohol addiction was laid bare in Mr Vance's memoir Hillbilly Elegy and during the vice-presidential debate last October. 'I was raised in a working class family,' he said. 'My mother required food assistance for periods of her life. My grandmother required social security help to raise me. 'And she raised me in part because my own mother struggled with addiction for a big chunk of my early life.' Ms Aikins grew up in a violent household. Her addiction issues began when, working as a nurse, she would take painkillers to ease headaches. She later began taking the opioid Percocet and finally heroin. Her recovery started in 2015. After living in her car, she moved into a sober living facility and her successful recovery was celebrated by Mr Vance when he accepted the vice-presidential nomination. During his acceptance speech, the vice-president said: 'I'm proud to say that tonight my mom is here, 10 years clean and sober. I love you, mom. And, you know, mom, I was thinking. 'It'll be 10 years officially in January of 2025, and if president Trump's okay with it, let's have the celebration in the White House.' Ms Aikins is now a nurse at an addiction recovery centre in Cincinnati. Mr Trump's younger brother, Fred Trump, struggled with alcoholism before his death aged 42. The president has eschewed alcohol his whole life, and has often said the tragedy inspired him to remain teetotal. At White House dinners, the president toasts his guests with Diet Coke. Broaden your horizons with award-winning British journalism. Try The Telegraph free for 1 month with unlimited access to our award-winning website, exclusive app, money-saving offers and more.
