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Choice of Monetary and Exchange Regimes in ECOWAS : An Optimum Currency Area Analysis

Author

Listed:
  • Chantal Dupasquier

    (SCAPE)

  • Patrick N. Osakwe
  • Shandre M. Thangavelu

Abstract

There are plans by five West African countries to establish a second monetary zone in the sub-region by December 2009. In this paper we ask whether a monetary union is the appropriate exchange rate regime for the sub-region based on economic criteria. We address the issue using a rigorous theoretical framework that captures the crucial trade-off between the savings in transaction costs, resulting from a common currency, and the macroeconomic stabilization benefits of a flexible exchange rate regime. The main result is that a flexible exchange rate regime dominates a monetary union in the ECOWAS sub-region.

Suggested Citation

  • Chantal Dupasquier & Patrick N. Osakwe & Shandre M. Thangavelu, 2005. "Choice of Monetary and Exchange Regimes in ECOWAS : An Optimum Currency Area Analysis," Macroeconomics Working Papers 22570, East Asian Bureau of Economic Research.
    • Handle: RePEc:eab:macroe:22570
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Citations

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    Cited by:

    1. Balogun, Emmanuel Dele, 2007. "Monetary policy and economic performance of West African Monetary Zone Countries," MPRA Paper 4308, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    2. Balogun, Emmanuel Dele, 2008. "An Empirical Test of Trade Gravity Model Criteria for the West African Monetary Zone (WAMZ)," MPRA Paper 7083, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    3. Gilles Duffrenot & Kimiko Sugimoto, 2010. "Pegging the future West African single currency in regard to internal/external competitiveness: a counterfactual analysis," William Davidson Institute Working Papers Series wp974, William Davidson Institute at the University of Michigan.
    4. Massimo Amato & Kako Nubukpo, 2020. "Una nuova moneta per gli stati dell'Africa dell'Ovest. Le condizioni teoriche e politiche della sua fattibilità (A new currency for West African states: The theoretical and political conditions of its," Moneta e Credito, Economia civile, vol. 73(289), pages 83-107.

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    More about this item

    Keywords

    exchange rates; Regimes; welfare; Transaction costs; West Africa;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • E52 - Macroeconomics and Monetary Economics - - Monetary Policy, Central Banking, and the Supply of Money and Credit - - - Monetary Policy
    • F33 - International Economics - - International Finance - - - International Monetary Arrangements and Institutions
    • F41 - International Economics - - Macroeconomic Aspects of International Trade and Finance - - - Open Economy Macroeconomics

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