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FDI, AGOA And Manufactured Exports From A Land-Locked, Least-Developed African Economy: Lesotho

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  • Sanjaya Lall (QEH)

Abstract

Lesotho, a small, mountainous and resource poor country inside South Africa, has emerged as the largest and fastest growing exporter of apparel from Sub-Saharan Africa to the US. Its rapid manufacturing growth has been driven by inflows of export-oriented foreign direct investment. This paper explores this unusual experience against the setting of the dismal record of industrial growth and competitiveness in Sub-Saharan Africa. It traces the origins of apparel-based FDI in Lesotho and the critical role of trade preferences in stimulating its exports and notes the limited integration of foreign affiliates into the local economy. The recent export spurt reflects first mover advantages in apparel manufacture, but long-term prospects, after trade preferences, remain dubious unless there is a significant improvement in skills and productivity. The experience has important policy lessons for the Lesotho government, foreign investors and international community in terms of stimulating competitive industrial development in Africa.

Suggested Citation

  • Sanjaya Lall (QEH), "undated". "FDI, AGOA And Manufactured Exports From A Land-Locked, Least-Developed African Economy: Lesotho," QEH Working Papers qehwps109, Queen Elizabeth House, University of Oxford.
    • Handle: RePEc:qeh:qehwps:qehwps109
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    File URL: http://workingpapers.qeh.ox.ac.uk/RePEc/qeh/qehwps/qehwps109.pdf
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. repec:rus:hseeco:123147 is not listed on IDEAS
    2. Sanjaya Lall & Carlo Pietrobelli, 2002. "Failing to Compete," Books, Edward Elgar Publishing, number 2360.
    3. Aaditya Mattoo & Devesh Roy & Arvind Subramanian, 2003. "The Africa Growth and Opportunity Act and its Rules of Origin: Generosity Undermined?," The World Economy, Wiley Blackwell, vol. 26(6), pages 829-851, June.
    4. Simon Roberts & John Thoburn, 2003. "Adjusting to Trade Liberalisation: The Case of Firms in the South African Textile Sector," Journal of African Economies, Centre for the Study of African Economies, vol. 12(1), pages 74-103, March.
    5. Gereffi, Gary, 1999. "International trade and industrial upgrading in the apparel commodity chain," Journal of International Economics, Elsevier, vol. 48(1), pages 37-70, June.
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    Cited by:

    1. Garth Frazer & Johannes Van Biesebroeck, 2010. "Trade Growth under the African Growth and Opportunity Act," The Review of Economics and Statistics, MIT Press, vol. 92(1), pages 128-144, February.
    2. Lawrence Edwards & Robert Z. Lawrence, 2014. "AGOA Rules: The Intended and Unintended Consequences of Special Fabric Provisions," NBER Chapters, in: African Successes, Volume III: Modernization and Development, pages 343-393, National Bureau of Economic Research, Inc.
    3. Sanjaya Lall & Manuel Albaladejo & Jinkang Zhang, 2004. "Mapping fragmentation: Electronics and automobiles in East Asia and Latin America," Oxford Development Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 32(3), pages 407-432.
    4. Zeng, Ka & Eastin, Joshua, 2012. "Do Developing Countries Invest Up? The Environmental Effects of Foreign Direct Investment from Less-Developed Countries," World Development, Elsevier, vol. 40(11), pages 2221-2233.
    5. Adagblenya, Barbara Dzidzornu, 2017. "Assessing Ghana’s trade under the African Growth and Opportunity Act (AGOA)," MPRA Paper 84255, University Library of Munich, Germany.
    6. Sanjaya Lall (QEH), "undated". "Is African Industry Competing?," QEH Working Papers qehwps122, Queen Elizabeth House, University of Oxford.

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