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Telecommunications services in Africa: The impact of multilateral commitments and unilateral reform on sector performance and economic growth

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  • Keck, Alexander
  • Djiofack-Zebaze, Calvin

Abstract

This paper examines the impact of telecommunications liberalization in Africa on both sectoral performance and economic growth. Besides unilateral measures, we account for WTO commitments fostering the credibility of reforms. Actual regulatory quality plays a major role in bringing down prices and in improving access to telecommunication services in Africa. Competition, notably in the mobile telephony segment, also improves sector performance. Increasing access to mobile networks by 1 per cent translates into a 0.5 per cent increase in real GDP per capita. In Africa, multilateral commitments do not reflect recent reforms. However, at the global level, adherence to the WTO Reference Paper entails lower prices.

Suggested Citation

  • Keck, Alexander & Djiofack-Zebaze, Calvin, 2006. "Telecommunications services in Africa: The impact of multilateral commitments and unilateral reform on sector performance and economic growth," WTO Staff Working Papers ERSD-2006-10, World Trade Organization (WTO), Economic Research and Statistics Division.
    • Handle: RePEc:zbw:wtowps:ersd200610
    DOI: 10.30875/61840682-en
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    More about this item

    Keywords

    Telecommunications services; liberalization; Africa; WTO; GATS;
    All these keywords.

    JEL classification:

    • F13 - International Economics - - Trade - - - Trade Policy; International Trade Organizations
    • L96 - Industrial Organization - - Industry Studies: Transportation and Utilities - - - Telecommunications
    • C23 - Mathematical and Quantitative Methods - - Single Equation Models; Single Variables - - - Models with Panel Data; Spatio-temporal Models
    • O55 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economywide Country Studies - - - Africa
    • O14 - Economic Development, Innovation, Technological Change, and Growth - - Economic Development - - - Industrialization; Manufacturing and Service Industries; Choice of Technology

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