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Formal or Informal, Legal or Illegal: The Ambiguous Nature of Cross-border Livestock Trade in the Horn of Africa

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  • Peter D. Little
  • Waktole Tiki
  • Dejene Negassa Debsu

Abstract

In this article, we address cross-border trade from the perspectives of state institutions and their agents, on the one hand, and private merchants and pastoralists, on the other. It will be shown that at times their agendas strongly conflict, but in other situations workable accommodations and policy interpretations are found even while acknowledging the illegality of the actions. Because of the extensive border zones in the Horn with few custom posts and banking facilities, the state often has no recourse but to turn a “blind eye” to cross-border trade. Throughout the paper, it is shown how vastly different border policies and international relationships among neighboring countries (i.e. Ethiopia, Kenya, and Somalia) in the region challenge generalizations about informality and cross-border trade. In the conclusion we assess recent attempts by government authorities to coerce the trade into formal channels, but with minimal success.

Suggested Citation

  • Peter D. Little & Waktole Tiki & Dejene Negassa Debsu, 2015. "Formal or Informal, Legal or Illegal: The Ambiguous Nature of Cross-border Livestock Trade in the Horn of Africa," Journal of Borderlands Studies, Taylor & Francis Journals, vol. 30(3), pages 405-421, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:taf:rjbsxx:v:30:y:2015:i:3:p:405-421
    DOI: 10.1080/08865655.2015.1068206
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    1. Martha Alter Chen, 2007. "Rethinking the Informal Economy: Linkages with the Formal Economy and the Formal Regulatory Environment," Working Papers 46, United Nations, Department of Economics and Social Affairs.
    2. Ali, Merima & Shifa, Abdulaziz & Shimeles, Abebe & Woldeyes, Firew, 2015. "Information Technology and Fiscal Capacity in a Developing Country: Evidence from Ethiopia," Working Papers 11180, Institute of Development Studies, International Centre for Tax and Development.
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    Cited by:

    1. Hadi Suratman & FX. Adji Samekto & Nanik Trihastuti, 2020. "The Administration of Small-Scale Economies in the Cross- Border Trade in Southeast Asia," International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), International Journal of Economics & Business Administration (IJEBA), vol. 0(2), pages 210-218.
    2. Graham, Michael W. & Chelanga, Philemon & Jensen, Nathaniel D. & Leitner, Sonja M. & Fava, Francesco & Merbold, Lutz, 2021. "A framework for assessing the effects of shock events on livestock and environment in sub-Saharan Africa: The COVID-19 pandemic in Northern Kenya," Agricultural Systems, Elsevier, vol. 192(C).

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