Regional integration and non‐tariff barriers to Intra‐Sub‐Saharan Africa trade

Abstract

The paper assesses the ex‐post trade effect of sub‐regional trade agreements (RTAs), financial integration and other non‐tariff barriers on intra‐regional trade involving 43 Sub‐Saharan Africa (SSA) countries. The objective is to find out if RTAs within SSA had increased trade flows to inform current efforts of establishing a successful continental free trade area in SSA. Estimating a gravity model augmented with measures of trade agreements and financial integration, the paper made use of bilateral trade flows and key gravity covariates from CEPII database over the period 1960–2015. After controlling for the endogeneity of the trade agreement dummy, multilateral price resistance and zero‐valued trade flows, we find RTAs within SSA and especially among Economic Community of West African States and Southern Africa Development Community members to have had a positive and significant impact on bilateral trade. Financially integrated trading partners also traded more, while we also found distance, landlockedness, common currency and colonial link to have an impact on trade costs and bilateral trade flows within SSA. The results indicate the need to focus on policies to expand and integrate regional markets in SSA by removing impediments to trade and improving on trade facilitation measures to significantly improve trade performance under the newly established African Continental Free Trade Area.

Mortality of traumatic chest injury and its predictors across sub-saharan Africa: systematic review and meta-analysis, 2024

“…The significant struggles in sub-Saharan Africa have all contributed to a higher mortality rate in traumatic chest injuries [ 18 , 29 ]. This implies that the mortality of patients following chest injury in sub-Saharan Africa is considerably greater than in high income countries, with no change in trends from 2012 to 2015 [ 51 , 52 ]. This underscores the need for action-based interventions focused on health system improvement and a trauma reduction plan.…”

“…In addition, the prevalence of road traffic accidents (RTA) in sub-Saharan Africa (SSA) is a major challenge, contributing significantly to chest trauma [ 52 ]. For example, recent studies in Ethiopia and Tanzania revealed that RTAs accounted for 44.5% and 50.7%, respectively, with mortality following chest trauma reaching 27.6% [ 50 ].…”

“…Moreover, in many SSA countries, a delay of 2–6 h in seeking medical care is common due to a lack of transportation (ambulances) and poor road infrastructure. This is often linked to a scarcity of emergency care services and adequately qualified/trained trauma care professionals [ 50 , 52 ]. Many SSA countries face challenges such as inadequate emergency teams (paramedics, surgeons, and nurses), insufficient equipment (first aid kits), limited prehospital care, and a lack of equipped trauma centers [ 53 ].…”

“…Additional issues include the absence of trauma courses in some major universities and difficulties in accessing remote areas, making it challenging for emergency medical services (EMS) to provide timely assistance. Disparities in services are also evident regionally, with similar challenges observed across many SSA countries [ 52 , 53 ].…”

Intra-Regional Trade Potential: An Analysis of the Ecowas Zone

“…Turkson et al [11] find sub-regional trade agreements within Sub-Saharan Africa and especially among Economic Community of West African States and Southern Africa Development Community members to have had a positive and significant impact on bilateral trade. Financially integrated trading partners also traded more, while we also found distance, landlockedness, common currency and colonial link to have an impact on trade costs and bilateral trade flows within SSA.…”