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The Role of Trade Policies in Building Regional Value Chains – Some Preliminary Evidence From Africa

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  • Anja Slany

Abstract

Regional value chains (RVCs) are considered as an important step towards greater integration into global value chains (GVCs), but African countries trade very little value added with each other. Based on the UNCTAD‐Eora GVC database, this paper estimates a panel model from 2006 to 2012 for 37 African countries and sheds light on the role of trade costs in building RVCs in Africa. First evidence is provided for a significantly negative effect on foreign value added of charged tariffs on capital goods and higher time to trade. In addition, higher regulatory quality and a stronger telecommunication infrastructure seem to be positively correlated with a country's ability to participate in RVCs.

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  • Anja Slany, 2019. "The Role of Trade Policies in Building Regional Value Chains – Some Preliminary Evidence From Africa," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 87(3), pages 326-353, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:bla:sajeco:v:87:y:2019:i:3:p:326-353
    DOI: 10.1111/saje.12214
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    2. Montalbano, Pierluigi & Nenci, Silvia, 2022. "Does global value chain participation and positioning in the agriculture and food sectors affect economic performance? A global assessment," Food Policy, Elsevier, vol. 108(C).
    3. Carolina Calatayud & María Engracia Rochina Barrachina, 2023. "How do firms in Sub‐Saharan Africa benefit from global value chains?," South African Journal of Economics, Economic Society of South Africa, vol. 91(2), pages 214-241, June.
    4. Françoise Okah Efogo, 2020. "Does trade in services improve African participation in global value chains?," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 32(4), pages 758-772, December.
    5. Abdulkareem Alhassan & Joshua Dzankar Zoaka & Salim Hamza Ringim, 2021. "Africa as headwaiter at the dining table of global value chains: Do institutions matter for her participation?," African Development Review, African Development Bank, vol. 33(3), pages 560-576, September.
    6. Giovanni Pasquali & Shane Godfrey & Khalid Nadvi, 2021. "Understanding regional value chains through the interaction of public and private governance: Insights from Southern Africa’s apparel sector," Journal of International Business Policy, Palgrave Macmillan, vol. 4(3), pages 368-389, September.
    7. Matthew Smith & Yasaman Sarabi, 2021. "Trading patterns within and between regions: an analysis of Gould-Fernandez brokerage roles," Papers 2107.01696, arXiv.org, revised Dec 2021.

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