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Exchange Rate Undervaluation and Manufactured Exports: A Deliberate Strategy?

Author

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  • Ridha Nouira
  • Patrick Plane
  • Khalid Sekkat

    (Université Libre de Bruxelles (U.L.B), Belgium.)

Abstract

Recent literature suggests that a proactive strategy consisting of deliberate real exchange rate depreciation can promote exports diversification and growth. This paper is built on these recent developments and investigates whether four developing countries have adopted such a strategy. Data from Egypt, Jordan, Morocco and Tunisia are used to construct and compare the macroeconomic Real Effective exchange rate (REER), similar exchange rates at the sector level (SREER) and the macroeconomic Equilibrium Real Effective exchange rate (EREER). It shows that there are instances where the objective of diversifying exports through depreciation of exchange rate comes at the expense of further misalignment (REER departs from the EREER) and, then, monetary authorities are doomed to choose. The results show that Morocco and Tunisia are choosing the proactive exchange rate strategy while Egypt and Jordan are not. This fits with the observation that the former are doing much better than the latter in terms of exports diversification.

Suggested Citation

  • Ridha Nouira & Patrick Plane & Khalid Sekkat, 2010. "Exchange Rate Undervaluation and Manufactured Exports: A Deliberate Strategy?," Working Papers 510, Economic Research Forum, revised 03 Jan 2010.
    • Handle: RePEc:erg:wpaper:510
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    JEL classification:

    • O53 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Asia including Middle East
    • O24 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Development Planning and Policy - - - Trade Policy; Factor Movement; Foreign Exchange Policy
    • O14 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Industrialization; Manufacturing and Service Industries; Choice of Technology

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