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Boosting Manufacturing Firms' Exports? The role of trade facilitation in Africa

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  • Hoekstra, Ruth

Abstract

Facilitating trade is essential for Africa's economic development and further integration into the world economy, as business in Africa still suffers from behind-the-border barriers to trade. Using firm level data from the World Bank's Enterprise surveys covering more than 6,500 manufacturing firms, this paper empirically investigates the determinants of African firms' export decisions with a special focus on trade facilitation measures like the energy or telecommunications infrastructure. Overall, trade facilitation can increase African firms' probability to participate in international trade. Furthermore, lower trade barriers are associated with a higher propensity to export, i.e. stimulate the growth of exports.

Suggested Citation

  • Hoekstra, Ruth, 2013. "Boosting Manufacturing Firms' Exports? The role of trade facilitation in Africa," IEE Working Papers 197, Ruhr University Bochum, Institute of Development Research and Development Policy (IEE).
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:ieewps:197
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    Cited by:

    1. Bernard Hoekman, 2014. "The Bali Trade Facilitation Agreement and Rulemaking in the WTO: Milestone, Mistake or Mirage?," RSCAS Working Papers 2014/102, European University Institute.
    2. Nora Aboushady & Chahir Zaki, 2016. "Investment Climate and Firms’ Exports in Egypt: When Politics Matter," Working Papers 1071, Economic Research Forum, revised 12 2016.
    3. NI Bin & KATO Hayato & LIU Yang, 2020. "Does It Matter Where You Invest? The Impact of FDI on Domestic Job Creation and Destruction," Discussion papers 20008, Research Institute of Economy, Trade and Industry (RIETI).
    4. Philipp H�hne & Birgit Meyer & Peter Nunnenkamp, 2014. "Who Benefits from Aid for Trade? Comparing the Effects on Recipient versus Donor Exports," Journal of Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 50(9), pages 1275-1288, September.
    5. Bin Ni & Hayato Kato & Yang Liu, 2023. "Does it matter where you invest? The impact of foreign direct investments on domestic job creation and destruction," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 46(1), pages 135-152, January.
    6. Bernard Hoekman, 2014. "The Bali Trade Facilitation Agreement and Rulemaking in the WTO: Milestone, Mistake or Mirage?," RSCAS Working Papers 2014/102, European University Institute.
    7. Hendy, Rana & Zaki, Chahir, 2021. "Trade facilitation and firms exports: Evidence from customs data," International Review of Economics & Finance, Elsevier, vol. 75(C), pages 197-209.
    8. Rana Hendy & Chahir Zaki, 2014. "Trade Facilitation and Firms Exports: The Case of Egypt," Working Papers 843, Economic Research Forum, revised Oct 2014.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Trade facilitation; Trade barriers; Africa; Firm-level data; Export probability;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F13 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade Policy; International Trade Organizations
    • F15 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Economic Integration
    • O24 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Development Planning and Policy - - - Trade Policy; Factor Movement; Foreign Exchange Policy

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