IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/ksp/journ2/v2y2015i3p169-185.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Effects of Trade Facilitation on Inequality: A Case Study of Sub-Sahara Africa

Author

Listed:
  • Ebenezer OLUBIYI

    (Federal University of Agriculture Abeokuta, Nigeria.)

Abstract

Inequality in the sub-Saharan Africa has been on the high side compared to other regions of the world. The policy makers in the region are aware of this and have implemented several policies to stem it. Among the solutions is inclusive growth and strong trade reforms. However, the trade position is still not encouraging even though it is rising. One major factor inhibiting trade and hence inequality is costs attached to the movement of goods across border, that is, trade facilitation. This study investigated the effectiveness of trade facilitation on inequality in a panel of 38 SSA countries spanning from 2005 to 2012. The results show that not all trade facilitation variables contribute to reduction in inequality. While reduction in time required to export significantly reduce inequality, time required to import, and to set up a new business worsened inequality. Custom efficiency is effective and has positive impact on inequality, that is, inequality is less, and the more efficient Customs are. Following these findings, authorities in the region will do well in addressing inequality issues by paying more attention to transaction challenges facing exports and custom efficiencies.

Suggested Citation

  • Ebenezer OLUBIYI, 2015. "Effects of Trade Facilitation on Inequality: A Case Study of Sub-Sahara Africa," Turkish Economic Review, KSP Journals, vol. 2(3), pages 169-185, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:ksp:journ2:v:2:y:2015:i:3:p:169-185
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: http://www.kspjournals.org/index.php/TER/article/download/479/528
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: http://www.kspjournals.org/index.php/TER/article/view/479
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Roine, Jesper & Vlachos, Jonas & Waldenström, Daniel, 2009. "The long-run determinants of inequality: What can we learn from top income data?," Journal of Public Economics, Elsevier, vol. 93(7-8), pages 974-988, August.
    2. David L. Hummels & Georg Schaur, 2013. "Time as a Trade Barrier," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 103(7), pages 2935-2959, December.
    3. Amjadi, Azita & Yeats, Alexander J., 1995. "Have transport costs contributed to the relative decline of sub-Saharan African exports? Some preliminary empirical evidence," Policy Research Working Paper Series 1559, The World Bank.
    4. Chahir Zaki, 2011. "Assessing the Global Effect of Trade Facilitation: Evidence from the MIRAGE Model," Working Papers 659, Economic Research Forum, revised 12 Jan 2011.
    5. Thomas W. Hertel & Terrie Walmsley & Ken Itakura, 2005. "Dynamic Effects Of The "New Age" Free Trade Agreement Between Japan And Singapore," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Philippa Dee & Michael Ferrantino (ed.), Quantitative Methods For Assessing The Effects Of Non-Tariff Measures And Trade Facilitation, chapter 18, pages 483-523, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    6. Thomas W. Hertel & Terrie Walmsley & Ken Itakura, 2005. "Dynamic Effects Of The "New Age" Free Trade Agreement Between Japan And Singapore," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Philippa Dee & Michael Ferrantino (ed.), Quantitative Methods For Assessing The Effects Of Non-Tariff Measures And Trade Facilitation, chapter 18, pages 483-523, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    7. Dennis, Allen, 2006. "The impact of regional trade agreements and trade facilitation in the Middle East and North Africa region," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3837, The World Bank.
    8. Martijn Burger & Frank van Oort & Gert-Jan Linders, 2009. "On the Specification of the Gravity Model of Trade: Zeros, Excess Zeros and Zero-inflated Estimation," Spatial Economic Analysis, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 4(2), pages 167-190.
    9. Nguyen, Cuong, 2013. "Poverty, Inequality and Trade Facilitation in Low and Middle Income Countries," MPRA Paper 50312, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Meschi, Elena & Vivarelli, Marco, 2009. "Trade and Income Inequality in Developing Countries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 37(2), pages 287-302, February.
    11. Hummels, David, 2001. "Time As A Trade Barrier," Working papers 28701, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.
    12. Isik-Dikmelik, Aylin, 2006. "Trade reforms and welfare : an ex-post decomposition of income in Vietnam," Policy Research Working Paper Series 4049, The World Bank.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Chahir Zaki, 2011. "Assessing the Global Effect of Trade Facilitation: Evidence from the MIRAGE Model," Working Papers 659, Economic Research Forum, revised 12 Jan 2011.
    2. Nguyen, Cuong, 2013. "Poverty, Inequality and Trade Facilitation in Low and Middle Income Countries," MPRA Paper 50312, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Díaz-Bonilla, Carolina, 2007. "Poverty and Income Distribution Under Different Factor Market Assumptions: A Macro-Micro Model," Conference papers 331625, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.
    4. Peter Walkenhorst & Tadashi Yasui, 2004. "Quantitative Assessment of the Benefits of Trade Facilitation," International Trade 0401008, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    5. Huang, Qingbo & Zhang, Xiaohan & Li, Yan, 2023. "Study on the economic effects of China and ASEAN countries from the New International Land-Sea Trade Corridor," Transport Policy, Elsevier, vol. 139(C), pages 123-135.
    6. John S. Wilson & Catherine L. Mann & Tsunehiro Otsuki, 2005. "Assessing The Potential Benefit Of Trade Facilitation: A Global Perspective," World Scientific Book Chapters, in: Philippa Dee & Michael Ferrantino (ed.), Quantitative Methods For Assessing The Effects Of Non-Tariff Measures And Trade Facilitation, chapter 8, pages 121-160, World Scientific Publishing Co. Pte. Ltd..
    7. Alassane D. Yeo & Aimin Deng & Todine Y. Nadiedjoa, 2020. "Trade Facilitation Effects on International Trade: Evidence From Lower-Middle and Upper-Middle-Income Countries," International Journal of Financial Research, International Journal of Financial Research, Sciedu Press, vol. 11(5), pages 254-266, October.
    8. Soloaga, Isidro & Wilson, John S. & Mejia, Alejandro, 2006. "Moving forward faster : trade facilitation reform and Mexican competitiveness," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3953, The World Bank.
    9. Vinokurov, Evgeny & Demidenko, Mikhail & Pelipas, Igor & Tochitskaya, Irina & Shymanovich, Gleb & Lipin, Andrey & Movchan, Veronika, 2015. "Estimating the Economic Effects of Reducing Non-Tariff Barriers in the EEU," MPRA Paper 68058, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    10. Sorescu, Silvia & Flaig, Dorothee, 2017. "Trade facilitation impacts: approaches to model "just-in-time" delivery," Conference papers 332893, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.
    11. John S. Wilson & Catherine L. Mann & Tsunehiro Otsuki, 2005. "Assessing the Benefits of Trade Facilitation: A Global Perspective," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 28(6), pages 841-871, June.
    12. Dennis, Allen, 2006. "The impact of regional trade agreements and trade facilitation in the Middle East and North Africa region," Policy Research Working Paper Series 3837, The World Bank.
    13. Jean, Sebastien & Laborde, David & Martin, Will, 2010. "Flexibilities in Negotiations on Non-Agricultural Products," Conference papers 331962, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.
    14. Bianka Dettmer & Andreas Freytag & Peter Draper, 2013. "Check-in, departure and arrival times: Air cargo in Southern Africa?," Jena Economics Research Papers 2013-018, Friedrich-Schiller-University Jena.
    15. Nong, Duy & Warziniack, Travis & Countryman, Amanda M. & Grey-Avis, Erin, 2017. "Effects of a Melting Arctic on Risk of Invasive Species Spread," Conference papers 332828, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.
    16. Karimi, Farzad & Tavakoli, Akbar, 2010. "The Analysis of Trade Integration and Business Cycles Synchronization with Emphasis on Regional Arrangements among OIC Nations," Conference papers 331992, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.
    17. Y. H. Venus Lun & Jan Hoffmann, 2016. "Connectivity and trade relativity: the case of ASEAN," Journal of Shipping and Trade, Springer, vol. 1(1), pages 1-13, December.
    18. Patricia Sourdin & Richard Pomfret, 2012. "Trade Facilitation," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 14596.
    19. Zaki, Chahir, 2009. "Towards an Explicit Modeling of Trade Facilitation in CGE Models: Evidence from Egypt," Conference papers 331897, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.
    20. Avetisyan, Misak & Heatwole, Nathaniel & Rose, Adam & Roberts, Bryan, 2014. "Competitiveness and Macroeconomic Impacts of Reduced Wait Times at U.S. Land Freight Border Crossings," Conference papers 332435, Purdue University, Center for Global Trade Analysis, Global Trade Analysis Project.

    More about this item

    Keywords

    Inequality; Trade facilitation; Generalized method of moments; Logistic index.;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • D63 - Microeconomics - - Welfare Economics - - - Equity, Justice, Inequality, and Other Normative Criteria and Measurement
    • F18 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade and Environment
    • B23 - Schools of Economic Thought and Methodology - - History of Economic Thought since 1925 - - - Econometrics; Quantitative and Mathematical Studies
    • F13 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade Policy; International Trade Organizations

    Statistics

    Access and download statistics

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:ksp:journ2:v:2:y:2015:i:3:p:169-185. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: Bilal KARGI (email available below). General contact details of provider: http://www.kspjournals.org .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.