Darfur has a long tradition of trade, migration and, during the past 30 years, remittance transfers from the Darfurian diaspora. A recent study of the impact of the crisis and conflict on livelihoods in Darfur provided an opportunity to explore how conflict had affected remittance flows. The aim of the wider study was to investigate the effects of the humanitarian crisis on the livelihoods of selected communities in Darfur in order to help refine strategic humanitarian interventions (Young et al. 2005). The study generated a wealth of information and analysis related to labour migration and remittance transfers and flows. Thus, the objective of this paper is to review the role and importance of remittances in the livelihoods of rural Darfurians before the current crisis and at its height in September 2004, and also to review the impact of the conflict on migration patterns, remittance transfer mechanisms and remittance flows.