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Measuring multi-membership in economic integration and its trade-impact. A comparative study of ECOWAS and SADC

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  • Sylvanus Kwaku Afesorgbor

    (Department of Economics and Business, Aarhus University, Denmark)

  • Peter A.G. van Bergeijk

    (International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University, The Hague, Netherlands)

Abstract

One of intriguing aspects of African Regional Trade Agreements (RTAs) is the extent of multi-membership, where many Africa countries are members of more than one RTA. Using a gravity model for 25 countries and the years 1980-2006 we measure the extent of multi-membership and compare its impact in two major African Regional blocs, ECOWAS and SADC. We find that the impact of multi-membership critically depends on the characteristics of the multi-membership of regional integration initiatives. We find a positive impact if an additional membership complements the integration process of the original regional integration initiative: overlapping memberships had a much stronger and significant positive effect on bilateral trade within ECOWAS compare to an insignificant impact within SADC.

Suggested Citation

  • Sylvanus Kwaku Afesorgbor & Peter A.G. van Bergeijk, 2014. "Measuring multi-membership in economic integration and its trade-impact. A comparative study of ECOWAS and SADC," Economics Working Papers 2014-06, Department of Economics and Business Economics, Aarhus University.
    • Handle: RePEc:aah:aarhec:2014-06
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    Cited by:

    1. Sylvanus Kwaku Afesorgbor, 2018. "Economic diplomacy in Africa: the impact of regional integration versusbilateral diplomacy on bilateral trade," Chapters, in: Research Handbook on Economic Diplomacy, chapter 20, pages 326-346, Edward Elgar Publishing.
    2. Sylvanus Kwaku Afesorgbor & Kaleb Girma Abreha, 2015. "Preferential Market Access, Foreign Aid and Economic Development," Economics Working Papers 2015-04, Department of Economics and Business Economics, Aarhus University.
    3. Busani Moyo, 2024. "Impact of SADC Free Trade Area on Southern Africa’s Intra-Trade Performance: Implications for the African Continental Free Trade Area," Foreign Trade Review, , vol. 59(1), pages 146-180, February.
    4. Qingtun Kong & Masaaki Yamada & Chengcheng Yang & Haisong Nie, 2025. "Competition or complementarity? Assessing the interaction effects of RCEP and CPTPP on agricultural and non-agricultural trade flows," International Economics and Economic Policy, Springer, vol. 22(1), pages 1-31, February.
    5. Jana Riedel & Anja Slany, 2019. "The potential of African trade integration – Panel data evidence for the COMESA-EAC-SADC Tripartite," The Journal of International Trade & Economic Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 28(7), pages 843-872, October.
    6. (ed.), 0. "Research Handbook on Economic Diplomacy," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 16053.
    7. Palakiyèm Kpemoua, 2023. "Effects of the dynamic of regional integration on West Africa's trade [Effets de la dynamique de l'intégration régionale sur le commerce bilatéral en Afrique de l'Ouest]," Post-Print hal-04178262, HAL.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Multi-membership; Regional Economic Integration; Gravity Model; ECOWAS; SADC;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F1 - International Economics - - Trade
    • F15 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Economic Integration

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