Template-Type: ReDIF-Paper 1.0
Author-Name: Afesorgbor, S.K.
Author-Name-Last: Afesorgbor
Author-Name-First: Sylvanus Kwaku
Author-Name: van Bergeijk, P.A.G.
Author-Name-Last: van Bergeijk
Author-Name-First: Peter
Author-Person: pbe494
Title: Multi-membership and the effectiveness of regional trade agreements in Western and Southern Africa
Abstract: Using a gravity model for 35 countries and the years 1995-2006 we estimate the impact of regional trade agreements in Africa (in particular ECOWAS and SADC) and compare this to the a benchmark of North South trade integration (Europe’s preferential trade agreement). We find that 
 •   ECOWAS and SADC membership significantly increases bilateral trade flows (and by more than for example preferential trade agreements with the EU do), 
 •   SADC membership has a stronger impact compared to ECOWAS and
 •   that the impact of multi-membership critically depends on the characteristics of the overlapping RTA.
 We find a positive impact if an additional membership complements the integration process of the original RTA: overlapping memberships had a significant positive effect on bilateral trade within the ECOWAS bloc but it is insignificant for SADC.
Creation-Date: 2011-03-18
File-URL: https://repub.eur.nl/pub/22781/wp520.pdf
File-Format: application/pdf
Series: RePEc:ems:euriss
Keywords: North-South trade, South-South trade, Sub Sahara Africa, gravity model, international trade, intra-regional trade, multi-membership, regional economic integration
Handle: RePEc:ems:euriss:22781