China’s bilateral trade in Africa: is institutional structure a determinant?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Kafilah Gold ◽  
Rajah Rasiah
Keyword(s):  
Bilateral Trade ◽  
Political Stability ◽  
Stable Region ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Economic Determinants ◽  
Dummy Variable ◽  
Discernible Effect ◽  
Institutional Structures ◽  
Manufactured Goods ◽  
Pseudo Maximum Likelihood

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to empirically examine the institutional structures and other predictors that determine bilateral trade between Africa and China from 1995 to 2017. Design/methodology/approach In line with the gravity model of trade, institutional, geographical and socio-economic determinants of China’s bilateral trade with 18 African oil/minerals exporting countries are examined by deploying Poisson pseudo-maximum likelihood and dynamic bias-corrected least squares dummy variable econometric techniques. Findings The results indicate that China’s oil/minerals imports from Africa are higher than imports of manufacturing and agricultural goods, and institutional structures indicate that a weak politically stable region with less control of corruption has a discernible effect on trade. Research limitations/implications Further insight can be gained if the type of manufactured goods being exported to China is examined; this is necessary given that China crowds out Africa’s manufactured goods. Therefore, this study recommends the need for Africa to continually strengthen its institutional structures to stimulate trade from other regions. Originality/value This study examines the quality of the institutional structures (political stability and corruption) in African oil/minerals exporting countries, considering that China has been alleged for capitalising on Africa’s weak institutional structures to trade with the resource-endowed region. For the first time, the UN COMTRADE HS product-country-partner-year trade data is used to examine on bilateral sector trade China–Africa links rather than proxies used in the studies of Biggeri and Sanfilippo (2009), De Grauwe et al. (2012) and Foad (2011) that did not capture the real trade value.

Kim health rumours highlight underrated risk factor

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
United States ◽  
Risk Factor ◽  
Heart Surgery ◽  
Bilateral Trade ◽  
Political Stability ◽  
The United States ◽  
Content Type ◽  
News Reports ◽  
Supreme Leader ◽  
Nuclear Tests

Subject The threat to North Korea's political stability were supreme leader Kim Jong-un to die. Significance Seoul and Beijing both insist all is normal in North Korea, contrary to unattributed news reports -- which the United States and others are monitoring -- that supreme leader Kim Jong-un is gravely ill after heart surgery. Last seen on April 11, Kim missed a key anniversary on April 15. Impacts March was a record month for missile tests, but all were small; intercontinental ballistic missile or nuclear tests are too risky for now. A COVID-19 epidemic would dent lingering hopes of life improving under Kim. New prestige projects with tight deadlines will impose additional hardship. Despite sharply reduced bilateral trade, China will use back channels to ward off risk of regime collapse.

Institutional structures and the strength of investor confidence in Africa

2017 ◽  
Vol 59 (6) ◽  
pp. 899-915 ◽  
Author(s):  
Otuo Serebour Agyemang ◽  
Millicent Kyeraa ◽  
Abraham Ansong ◽  
Siaw Frimpong
Keyword(s):  
Property Rights ◽  
Rule Of Law ◽  
Political Stability ◽  
Economic Reforms ◽  
African Countries ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Investor Confidence ◽  
Country Level ◽  
Institutional Structures

Purpose This paper aims to examine the role of country-level institutional structures in strengthening the level of investor confidence in Africa while controlling for real GDP growth, interest rate spread, inflation and country credit rating. Design/methodology/approach The paper uses panel data for the period 2009-2013. It takes into account the rule of law, political stability, regulatory quality, voice and accountability, control of corruption and property rights as potential institutional drivers of the level of investor confidence. These factors are based on their relative relevance from the extant literature. Correlated panels-corrected standard errors model was used to establish the relationship between the institutional structures and the strength of investor confidence. Findings The overall results show that rule of law, voice and accountability, property rights and political stability exhibit significant positive relationship with the strength of investor confidence in African economies. This implies that asking African economies to strengthen these institutional structures will result in enhanced investor confidence in their economies. This suggests that the establishment of these institutional structures is an effective tool to enhance investor confidence in African economies. Practical implications In addition to the long-term goal of promoting economic reforms, a corresponding long-term goal of strengthening institutional structures in African economies should be taken into consideration. Instead of waiting for their economic reforms to take effect, governments in African countries can, to some degree, attract investors into their economies by establishing credible institutional structures. Originality/value This paper contributes to the knowledge on how country-level institutional structures influence the level of investor confidence in the context of Africa.

Institutional Quality and Trade Flow: Empirical Evidence from Malaysia and Other OIC Member Countries in Africa

2021 ◽  
pp. 097508782098717
Author(s):  
Hammed Agboola Yusuf ◽  
Luqman Olanrewaju Afolabi ◽  
Waliu Olawale Shittu ◽  
Kafilah Lola Gold ◽  
Murtala Muhammad
Keyword(s):  
Economic Growth ◽  
Bilateral Trade ◽  
Trade Flow ◽  
Estimation Method ◽  
Institutional Quality ◽  
Likelihood Estimation ◽  
Political Stability ◽  
Bilateral Trade Flow ◽  
World Governance Indicators ◽  
The Impact

This article examines the impact of institutional quality on bilateral trade flow between Malaysia and selected 25 African Organisation of Islamic Cooperation (OIC) member countries. Four institutional qualities were selected from World Governance Indicators with other trade predictors from the period from 1985 to 2016. Using gravity model of trade and Poisson pseudo-maximum likelihood estimation method (PPML) technique, the results confirm that government effectiveness, regulatory quality and political stability have an adverse effect on bilateral trade flow among the OIC countries in Africa. On the other hand, these institutional quality variables were considered as a strength for Malaysian economic growth. Therefore, better institutional quality reforms are needed among OIC member countries in Africa in order to accelerate trade, economic growth and development in their region.

BUSINESS ENVIRONMENT EFFICIENCY AND COMPETTIIVENESS OF LOCALLY MANUFACTURED GOODS BY AUTOSTERILE EAST AFRICA, KENYA

2021 ◽  
pp. 12-21
Author(s):  
Margaret Kamau ◽  
Isabella Sile
Keyword(s):  
East Africa ◽  
Linear Regression Analysis ◽  
Secondary Data ◽  
Political Stability ◽  
Business Environment ◽  
Middle Level ◽  
Primary Data ◽  
Goods And Services ◽  
Manufactured Goods

Absrtact This study investigated the influence of business environment efficiency on competitiveness of locally manufactured goods by Autosterile East Africa, Kenya. This study used case study design. This study sampled 69 respondents, including 8 top level employees, 22 middle level employees and 39 lower level employees in Autosterile East Africa. Census sampling was used to select the respondents. Secondary data was obtained from the Autosterile East Africa publications that touches on determinants of competitiveness. Questionnaires used in the survey formed the primary data and was analyzed by use of Statistical Packages for Social Science version 23. Linear regression analysis was done to test the relationship between the independent and dependent variables. The study findings led to the conclusion that business environment efficiency have a positive relationship with competitiveness of locally manufactured goods. The findings revealed that business environment efficiency is significant determinant of competitiveness of locally manufactured goods. It was found out that the demand for goods and services and political stability influences competition of goods and services. The regulations dictate the competition among companies and supply of goods and services controls a firm's competitive advantage. Keywords: Business environment efficiency, competitiveness, Locally manufactured goods, Autosterile East Africa.

Trudeau raises bilateral trade concerns in Washington

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Bilateral Trade ◽  
Content Type

Headline CANADA: Trudeau raises trade concerns in Washington

Gbagbo will return to frontline Ivory Coast politics

2021 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Ivory Coast ◽  
Political Stability ◽  
Short Term ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Political Actors ◽  
Election Victory

Significance Instead he aims to create a new party. The FPI has since denied reports of mass defections by the party grassroots to Gbagbo. This comes in the context of broader public reconciliation efforts by President Alassane Ouattara, who seeks political stability in the aftermath of a highly controversial October 2020 third-term election victory. Impacts Ouattara is unlikely to grant general amnesty to all political actors in order to keep some of them outside the country. Gbagbo will likely win over most, though not all, of his former supporters within the FPI. Struggles within Gbagbo’s former party and other opposition formations will weaken the opposition in the short term. Gbagbo will consolidate his position as the main opposition leader, threatening the country’s stability in the lead-up to the 2025 election.

The determinants of foreign direct investment: what about the potential of the Arab Maghreb countries?

2021 ◽  
Vol ahead-of-print (ahead-of-print) ◽  
Author(s):  
Hamdi Khalfaoui ◽  
Abdelkader Derbali
Keyword(s):  
Foreign Direct Investment ◽  
Direct Investment ◽  
Political Stability ◽  
The United States ◽  
Investment Risk ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Foreign Companies ◽  
Main Determinants ◽  
General Method Of Moments

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to elucidate the main determinants of foreign direct investment (FDI) in the case of the Arab Maghreb countries. Design/methodology/approach We employ a dynamic panel analysis using the General Method of Moments for a sample composed of 105 countries over the period 1985–2018. Findings We show that FDI stability, market size, higher education enrolment, quality of institutions, distance, sharing of common border, and bilateral investment and integration agreements are the main determinants of FDI location. These determinants are neither general. The potential for attracting FDI from AMU countries is poorly exploited. FDI to the AMU is lower than estimated stock. The observed FDI to potential FDI ratio does not exceed 87%. France and Spain are the main investors in the AMU region thanks to historical and cultural links. The FDI from the United States, Canada, Germany, Belgium, and Japan are below what is expected. Originality/value The contribution of this paper is observed on the examining oh the determinants of the FDI in the Arab Maghreb countries. Our study demonstrate that the political stability can decrease investment risk in these countries. The administrations correspondingly require expanding their rules and strategies with union demonstrations which were at the beginning of the departure and closing of several foreign companies.

Climate change could intensify Sahel conflicts

2022 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Climate Change ◽  
Security Policy ◽  
Rainfall Variability ◽  
Political Stability ◽  
Climate Impacts ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Droughts And Floods ◽  
Political Conditions ◽  
Small Scale Irrigation

Significance It will increase rainfall variability and extreme events such as droughts and floods, as well as raising temperatures. These effects may trigger cascading risks to economic, social and political stability. Impacts The EU could play a key role in moderating climate effects as it shapes migration and security policy in the Sahel. The likelihood and severity of climate impacts will depend on socio-economic and political conditions in the region. Small-scale irrigation, climate-adapted seeds and traditional soil conservation techniques can help increase resilience to climate change.

Accounting of gross exports and tracing foreign values in the global pharmaceutical value chain

2018 ◽  
Vol 22 (4) ◽  
pp. 348-363
Author(s):  
Chang-soo Lee ◽  
Mikyung Yun
Keyword(s):  
Value Chain ◽  
Decomposition Method ◽  
Design Methodology ◽  
Bilateral Trade ◽  
Value Chains ◽  
Vertical Specialization ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Second Tier ◽  
First Time ◽  
European Regional

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to document for the first time the vertical specialization structure of the global pharmaceutical value chain. Design/methodology/approach The paper adopts Wang et al.’s (2013) gross exports decomposition method to trace foreign values in bilateral trade between major pharmaceutical producers, using the 2014 WIOT database. Findings The paper shows that as in other sectoral value chains, the pharmaceutical value chain is heavily regional. The paper identifies a strong European regional value chain, and a less intensive, Asian regional value chain. Korea is positioned in the middle of the Asian value chain, and is connected to the European regional value chain as a second-tier supplier. Originality/value The paper documents the vertical specialization structure of the global pharmaceutical value chain through gross exports decomposition method, making use of the World Input–Output Table Database 2014 which disaggregates pharmaceuticals in its industry classification for the first time.

Socio-economic determinants of employment in Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in Jammu and Kashmir

2017 ◽  
Vol 44 (10) ◽  
pp. 1361-1376
Author(s):  
Malik Altaf Hussain
Keyword(s):  
Small Sample ◽  
Indian States ◽  
Jammu And Kashmir ◽  
Female Participation ◽  
Content Type ◽  
Economic Determinants ◽  
Mahatma Gandhi ◽  
Rural Employment ◽  
Employment Guarantee ◽  
Employment Guarantee Scheme

Purpose The purpose of this paper is to look at the socio-economic determinants of employment in Mahatma Gandhi National Rural Employment Guarantee Scheme (MGNREGS) in Jammu and Kashmir (J&K) at both household and individual level. My results show that there is no discrimination in provision of employment to backward classes. Out of all the Indian States, J&K has lowest female participation in the scheme. My results show that women are discriminated against in provision of employment. Worksite facilities, like creche, can positively affect female participation in the scheme. Design/methodology/approach The author uses multi-variate OLS regression model to analyse the data collected through primary survey of three heterogenous villages of district Ganderbal of J&K. Findings The author finds clear evidence of discrimination against females in provision of employment along with slight evidence of elite capture of the scheme. The author also finds negative relationship between the number of children in a household and the number of workdays which highlights the importance of worksite facilities to increase female and overall participation for the scheme to be successful. Research limitations/implications The possible limitation could be small sample size but given that this is the first study of its kind in the J&K State, researchers can build up on it. Originality/value This is one of the first research papers which looks at the performance of MGNREGS in J&K in such detail. No comprehensive study of this magnitude and rigour has been undertaken in J&K till now.

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