IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/p/hal/journl/hal-04909611.html
   My bibliography  Save this paper

Trade openness, income inequality and economic growth in the Democratic Republic of Congo
[Ouverture commerciale, inégalités de revenu et croissance économique en République Démocratique du Congo]

Author

Listed:
  • Elie Bola Boongo

    (UNIKIS - Université de Kisangani)

  • Jonathan Kitoko Asenga

    (UNIKIS - Université de Kisangani)

  • Micheline Azaro Bahati

    (ISC-BUNIZ - Institut supérieur de commerce de Bunia)

Abstract

This research examines the relationship between trade openness, income inequality and economic growth in the Democratic Republic of Congo (DRC) from 1990 to 2020. Using an ARDL (Auto Regressive Distributed Lag) econometric model, the study assesses the comment trade openness and income inequality influence economic growth. The results of this study demonstrate that in the short term, trade openness has a positive and significant effect on economic growth. Every additional 1 point of trade opening leads to an increase in economic growth of 26.85%; GINI has a negative and significant effect on economic growth. Any increase in inequality of 1 point leads to a decrease in GDPH of 141.8667%., and that in the long term, trade openness has a positive and insignificant effect on economic growth. Every additional 1 point of trade opening results in an increase in economic growth of 84.85%; GINI has a negative and significant effect on economic growth.

Suggested Citation

  • Elie Bola Boongo & Jonathan Kitoko Asenga & Micheline Azaro Bahati, 2025. "Trade openness, income inequality and economic growth in the Democratic Republic of Congo [Ouverture commerciale, inégalités de revenu et croissance économique en République Démocratique du Congo]," Post-Print hal-04909611, HAL.
    • Handle: RePEc:hal:journl:hal-04909611
    Note: View the original document on HAL open archive server: https://hal.science/hal-04909611v1
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://hal.science/hal-04909611v1/document
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Chang, Roberto & Kaltani, Linda & Loayza, Norman V., 2009. "Openness can be good for growth: The role of policy complementarities," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 90(1), pages 33-49, September.
    2. Michael Kremer, 1993. "The O-Ring Theory of Economic Development," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 108(3), pages 551-575.
    3. Robert M. Solow, 1956. "A Contribution to the Theory of Economic Growth," The Quarterly Journal of Economics, President and Fellows of Harvard College, vol. 70(1), pages 65-94.
    4. Andrés Rodríguez‐Pose & Vassilis Tselios, 2009. "Education And Income Inequality In The Regions Of The European Union," Journal of Regional Science, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 49(3), pages 411-437, August.
    5. Ricardo Hausmann & Jason Hwang & Dani Rodrik, 2007. "What you export matters," Journal of Economic Growth, Springer, vol. 12(1), pages 1-25, March.
    6. Rita Almeida & Ana Margarida Fernandes, 2008. "Openness and Technological Innovations in Developing Countries: Evidence from Firm-Level Surveys," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 44(5), pages 701-727.
    7. M. Hashem Pesaran & Yongcheol Shin & Richard J. Smith, 2001. "Bounds testing approaches to the analysis of level relationships," Journal of Applied Econometrics, John Wiley & Sons, Ltd., vol. 16(3), pages 289-326.
    8. Edwards, Sebastian, 1998. "Openness, Productivity and Growth: What Do We Really Know?," Economic Journal, Royal Economic Society, vol. 108(447), pages 383-398, March.
    9. Cecilia Garcia-Penalosa & Eve Caroli & Philippe Aghion, 1999. "Inequality and Economic Growth: The Perspective of the New Growth Theories," Journal of Economic Literature, American Economic Association, vol. 37(4), pages 1615-1660, December.
    10. repec:umd:umdeco:rodriguez9901 is not listed on IDEAS
    11. Engle, Robert & Granger, Clive, 2015. "Co-integration and error correction: Representation, estimation, and testing," Applied Econometrics, Russian Presidential Academy of National Economy and Public Administration (RANEPA), vol. 39(3), pages 106-135.
    12. Park, Kang H., 1996. "Educational expansion and educational inequality on income distribution," Economics of Education Review, Elsevier, vol. 15(1), pages 51-58, February.
    13. repec:dau:papers:123456789/10091 is not listed on IDEAS
    14. Francisco Rodríguez & Dani Rodrik, 2001. "Trade Policy and Economic Growth: A Skeptic's Guide to the Cross-National Evidence," NBER Chapters, in: NBER Macroeconomics Annual 2000, Volume 15, pages 261-338, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    15. Raja Kali & Fabio Mendez & Javier Reyes, 2007. "Trade structure and economic growth," The Journal of International Trade & Economic Development, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 16(2), pages 245-269.
    16. Persson, Torsten & Tabellini, Guido, 1994. "Is Inequality Harmful for Growth?," American Economic Review, American Economic Association, vol. 84(3), pages 600-621, June.
    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. Bos, J.W.B. & Economidou, C. & Koetter, M. & Kolari, J.W., 2010. "Do all countries grow alike?," Journal of Development Economics, Elsevier, vol. 91(1), pages 113-127, January.
    2. Yaya Keho, 2017. "The impact of trade openness on economic growth: The case of Cote d’Ivoire," Cogent Economics & Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 5(1), pages 1332820-133, January.
    3. Onafowora, Olugbenga A. & Owoye, Oluwole, 2024. "Trade openness, governance quality, and economic growth in Latin America and the Caribbean," International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 179(C).
    4. Mohammad Sharif Karimi & Andrzej Cieslik, 2017. "Foreign Knowledge Spillovers and Total Factor Productivity Growth: Evidence from Four ASEAN Countries," Iranian Economic Review (IER), Faculty of Economics,University of Tehran.Tehran,Iran, vol. 21(2), pages 267-299, Spring.
    5. Adnen Ben Nasr & Mehmet Balcilar & Rangan Gupta & Seyi Saint Akadiri, 2018. "Asymmetric Effects of Inequality on Per Capita Real GDP of the United States," Working Papers 201820, University of Pretoria, Department of Economics.
    6. Ademola Obafemi Young, 2019. "Growth Impacts of Income Inequality: Empirical Evidence From Nigeria," Research in World Economy, Research in World Economy, Sciedu Press, vol. 10(3), pages 226-262, December.
    7. Ansgar Belke & Andreas Wernet, 2015. "Poverty Reduction through Growth and Redistribution Policies—a Panel Analysis for 59 Developing Countries," Review of Development Economics, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 19(1), pages 143-162, February.
    8. Marilyne Huchet†Bourdon & Chantal Le Mouël & Mariana Vijil, 2018. "The relationship between trade openness and economic growth: Some new insights on the openness measurement issue," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 41(1), pages 59-76, January.
    9. Adnen Ben Nasr & Mehmet Balcilar & Rangan Gupta & Seyi Saint Akadiri, 2020. "Asymmetric effects of inequality on real output levels of the United States," Eurasian Economic Review, Springer;Eurasia Business and Economics Society, vol. 10(1), pages 47-69, March.
    10. Adam Noga & Andrzej K. Koźmiński & Katarzyna Piotrowska & Krzysztof Zagórski, 2022. "Czynniki emocjonalne ograniczające inwestycje w europejskich krajach OECD," Ekonomista, Polskie Towarzystwo Ekonomiczne, issue 2, pages 172-189.
    11. Muhammad Arshad Khan & Atif Ali Jaffri & Faisal Abbas & Azad Haider, 2017. "Does Trade Liberalization Improve Trade Balance in Pakistan?," South Asia Economic Journal, Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka, vol. 18(2), pages 158-183, September.
    12. Kholeka Mdingi & Sin-Yu Ho, 2023. "Income inequality and economic growth: An empirical investigation in South Africa," Cogent Economics & Finance, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 11(2), pages 2230027-223, June.
    13. Navaratnam Ravinthirakumaran, 2014. "Applicability of Openness-led Growth Hypothesis in Sri Lanka," South Asia Economic Journal, Institute of Policy Studies of Sri Lanka, vol. 15(2), pages 241-263, September.
    14. Jalil, Abdul, 2012. "Modeling income inequality and openness in the framework of Kuznets curve: New evidence from China," Economic Modelling, Elsevier, vol. 29(2), pages 309-315.
    15. Zaib Maroof & Shahzad Hussain & Muhammad Jawad & Munazza Naz, 2019. "Determinants of industrial development: a panel analysis of South Asian economies," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 53(3), pages 1391-1419, May.
    16. Kumar, Saten & Pacheco, Gail, 2012. "What determines the long run growth rate in Kenya?," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 34(5), pages 705-718.
    17. Thomas Gries & Margarete Redlin, 2012. "Trade Openness and Economic Growth: A Panel Causality Analysis," Working Papers CIE 52, Paderborn University, CIE Center for International Economics.
    18. Malayaranjan Sahoo & Narayan Sethi, 2023. "An Empirical Insight into the Financial Globalization–Growth Nexus via Trade Openness: Evidence from Select South Asian Countries," Global Business Review, International Management Institute, vol. 24(2), pages 317-334, April.
    19. Maria Khan, 2021. "Effect of Natural Resources on Economic Growth in Pakistan: A Time Series Analysis," Asian Journal of Economic Modelling, Asian Economic and Social Society, vol. 9(1), pages 29-47, March.
    20. Chandran, V.G.R. & Munusamy, 2009. "Trade openness and manufacturing growth in Malaysia," Journal of Policy Modeling, Elsevier, vol. 31(5), pages 637-647, September.

    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:hal:journl:hal-04909611. 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: CCSD (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://hal.archives-ouvertes.fr/ .

    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.