Long-Run and Short-Run Effects of Trade Openness on Life Quality in Sub-Saharan Africa

This paper contributes to the understanding of the other neglected effects of trade openness by analysing how it affects life quality in sub-Saharan African countries over the period 2000–2016. We used two trade openness indicators, namely: Squalli and Wilson index and the rate of trade. The empirical evidence is based on a pooled mean group approach. With two panels differentiated by their colonial origin, the following findings are established: the trade openness variable measured by Squalli and Wilson index has no effect on life quality in the both groups of countries in the short-run. However, it has a positive and significant effect on life quality in the both group of countries in the long-run. The use of the rate of trade confirms the results in the both groups of countries in the long-run. The contribution of trade openness to life quality is 3.27 and 5.19 times higher in the Former British Colonies than that recorded in the Former French Colonies of SSA respectively to the use of Squalli and Wilson index and the rate of trade. Overall, we find strong evidence supporting the view that trade openness promotes life quality in SSA countries in the long run.

Impact of Macroeconomic Indicators on the Yuan-SDR Exchange Rate

The paper endeavours to explore the macroeconomic impact on the Yuan SDR exchange rate of China during 2017m1-2021m6 to justify the internationalization of RMB which had entered into the SDR basket of IMF in October 2016.To evaluate the impact ,the paper used the methodology of Johansen (1988) cointegration and vector error correction model considering monthly Yuan per SDR as dependent variable and monthly GDP, inflation rate, foreign exchange reserves, export and import as the independent macro-economic variables. The pattern of trendline of Yuan per SDR is found nonlinear having cyclical fluctuations and seasonal variations according to Hamilton (2018). The paper also found that Yuan per SDR has significant long run causalities with export, import, inflation rate, GDP and foreign exchange rate of China during the specified period. Even, Yuan per SDR has significant short run causality with export only. The cointegrating equation converged towards the equilibrium with the speed of adjustment 11.83% per month significantly. The impulse response function of import to Yuan per SDR showed significantly convergent. The VECM contains autocorrelation problem and unit root for which it is non-stationary.

Linking Water Access and Education in the Sustainable Development Goals in Sub-Saharan Africa

Despite the growing literature on water access, little is known about the effect of water access on education, particularly in sub-Saharan African countries. The aim of this paper is to fill this gap by assessing how water access affects education in 23 sub-Saharan African countries over the period 2000-2018. To carry out our investigation, we used the Generalized Moments Methods (GMM). The results show that there is a negative relationship between water access and education. Furthermore, parliament women and government effectiveness play an important role in mitigating the negative impact of water access on education. Finally, the positive association between water access and education in sub-Saharan Africa is conditioned by the achievement of a certain threshold of parliament women and government effectiveness.

Gender Gap in Labor Supply, Leisure, Consumption, and Home Production and National Policy in Japan

This study investigates single individuals’ different choices over time in terms of use (labor supply, home production time input, leisure) and consumption (market consumption goods, home production goods) and provides evidence to explain the differences. To this effect, we use the structural model of the Almost Ideal Demand System with a Cobb-Douglas home production function. The results are summarized as follows. Regarding labor supply, both women and men have the same working willingness in the labor market when women are paid as much as men. Overall, although the regional gender income gap appears different between major metropolitan areas and non-major metropolitan areas, our results indicate that the income gap would disappear by diminishing the wage gap. However, for home production, the gender gap persists when women apply the same conditions as men, although the gap is small. Policy implied that reducing the gender wage gap is an important tool to encourage single women to work as men in the workplace regardless of the area.

Financial Development, Institutions, Gender and Entrepreneurship in the United Arab Emirates

The paper explores the role of financial development on entrepreneurship in the United Arab Emirates by using data on new business registration and new business density over the period 2006-2018. The country is undergoing a rapid transformation phase characterizzed by substantial efforts to boost private sector entepreneurship. The data is drawn from the World Bank’s World Development Indicators. We use the International Monetary Fund’s composite financial development index to capture financial development in the country. The index comprises information on financial depth, access and efficiency by both financial institutions and markets. The paper controls for the impact on the macroeconomic conditions, institutional factors, such as gender equality and the fear of failure, the innovation environment and the business startup environment. The results show that financial development is a robust predictor of entepreneurial activity in the UAE. Macroeconomic, institutional and innovation conditions further mediate the link in more or less significant ways.