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Type de document/Document Type Thèse/Dissertation Auteur/Author Baricako, Joseph URN BelnUcetd-05022006-121052 Langue/Language Anglais/English Titre/Title Regional integration, trade and growth Intitulé du diplôme/Degree ECON 3 - Doctorat en sciences économiques Département/Department ESPO/ECON - Département des sciences économiques Jury/Advisors
Nom Titre Boucekkine, Raouf Membre du jury/Committee Member Ndungu, Njuguna Membre du jury/Committee Member Peeters, Dominique Membre du jury/Committee Member Van Ypersele, Tanguy Membre du jury/Committee Member Weiserbs, Daniel Président du jury/Committee Chair Monfort, Philippe Promoteur/Director Mots-clés/Keywords
- Education
- Colonization
- Regional spillovers
- Fractionnalization
- Trade
- Growth
- Regional integration
- Aid
- Debt service
- Dependence and Sub Saharan Africa
Date de défense/Defense Date 2006-05-08 Résumé/Abstract This thesis paid attention to three main issues, namely regional integration, trade and growth. Since the 90's, regional integration is experiencing a new wave all over the world.
After an introductory Chapter on the motivation of the dissertation and an overview of the content, Chapter 2 checks empirically the relevance of South regional integration through eight regional integrating areas. Empirical results show fruitful outcome in at least five of them. Furthermore, regional differences are highlighted on different scale, according to their geographic location. Asian integration groups perform well contrary to African ones.
Chapter 3 launches an in-depth analysis of these provoking findings through a specific case of South regional integration: The Economic Community of Great Lakes Countries (CEPGL). In an empirical set up of augmented neoclassical Solow growth model, we show how resuscitation of late CEPGL integration can not thin down numerous binding constraints. Structural obstacles to growth and stability must be solved first. Otherwise, no viable regional integration is possible in the Great Lakes countries area.
The fourth chapter rebuilds somewhat the bridge between the North and South countries. It concentrates to discriminatory trade relations channelled by colonial ties and strengthened by culture and language. Developing countries maintain special ties with the former colonizing power among which preferential trade relations based on criterion different from market performance per se. On a sample of former French and British colonies, empirical investigation find evidence that colonial experience exhibits negative effects on growth trajectory and trade. Notwithstanding the direct negative consequence on education, colonial heritage shows potential benefits in the long run.
Finally, the last chapter investigates the causes of poor performance of Sub Saharan African countries. The region is hit by several structural problems like conflicts, geography, poor policy, etc. These causes can be grouped in three main categories: exogenous, government failure and mixed causes. This chapter analyzes one of the exogenous factors; a much debated but still very controversial topic: debt and dependence. Results show how the African growth puzzle is genuine. The effects of aid to growth is very sensitive to the benchmark and estimation method. Debt service is harmful to growth process given the size of debt burden and dependence to a narrow range of primary commodities.