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  • © 2022

Trade and Investment in East Africa

Prospects, Challenges and Pathways to Sustainability

  • Covers the recent EAC enlargement including Democratic Republic of Congo (DRA) in the sample

  • Enhances the synergy between research-based evidence and policymakers' decisions in the East African Community

  • Aims to inform and assist with the ratification and implementation of the Tripartite Free Trade Area (TFTA)

Part of the book series: Frontiers in African Business Research (FABR)

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  • ISBN: 978-981-19-4211-2
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Hardcover Book USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)

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Table of contents (15 chapters)

  1. Front Matter

    Pages i-x
  2. Introduction, Policy Framework and Challenges

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 1-1
    2. Trade and Investment in East Africa: Introduction, Overview, and Implications

      • Binyam Afewerk Demena, Peter A. G. van Bergeijk
      Pages 3-19
    3. EAC Integration: Evidence-Based Policy in Difficult Times

      • Donald Mmari, Jamal Msami, Stephen Mwombela, Jane Mpapalika, Binyam Afewerk Demena, Peter A. G. van Bergeijk
      Pages 21-39
  3. Trade Potential

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 63-63
  4. Trade Potential

    1. Trade Complementarities Between Europe and Tanzania

      • Huda Ahmed Yussuf, Masoud Mohammed Albiman
      Pages 85-107
    2. Trade Potential and Bottlenecks in East Africa: A Gravity Approach

      • Binyam Afewerk Demena, Peter A. G. van Bergeijk
      Pages 109-128
  5. Productivity and Competitiveness

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 127-127
    2. Productivity Premia and Firm Heterogeneity in Eastern Africa

      • Binyam Afewerk Demena, Jamal Msami, Donald Mmari, Peter A.G. van Bergeijk
      Pages 131-161
    3. Export Status Changes and Firm Productivity: Evidence from EAC Countries

      • Gerald P. Lesseri, Kauthar S. Salum
      Pages 163-183
    4. Competitiveness of East African Exports: A Constant Market Share Analysis

      • Harry Thomas Silas Achentalika, Dorah Teddy Msuya
      Pages 213-238
  6. Industries, Cooperatives and Value Chains

    1. Front Matter

      Pages 237-237

About this book

This book provides a thorough understanding of the key policy debates on international trade and investment for development with a focus on the East African Community (EAC) to strengthen Member States’ capacity to develop policies to promote their exports’ competitiveness and diversification. Beyond Member States’, the book serves as a base for a deeper understanding of the challenges, opportunities and requirements of the intra-continental trade agreement which is now in sight with the ratification of the Tripartite (EAC-COMESA-SADC) Free Trade Area that is critical in addressing key constraints to trade in the African continent. Moreover, the lessons from this edited volume may also extend to the challenges and opportunities of the African Continental Free Trade Area.

 The book brings together a comprehensive overview and an evidence-based analysis that can be considered best practice in the region. The trade and investment policy analysis of constraints and opportunities aims to improve trade and competitiveness and covers macro- (economy-wide), meso- (sectoral) and micro- (firm or household) levels. This multi-level approach is crucial for understanding how current trade and investment policies limit competitiveness and diversification in order to identify more tangible policy action for overcoming such constraints. The individual contributors follow comprehensive applied empirical approaches, and each chapter generates knowledge needed to identify key challenges and opportunities focusing on research-led policy-relevant approaches that enable readers to better understand national, bilateral, and multilateral cooperation as well as policies for sustainable development in East Africa. The contributors know the EAC context very well as their engagement in policymaking goes beyond the context of the papers they are writing about. The individual chapters were developed as part of a research and capacity building programme under the aegis of ACP and EU that we implemented in 2020-2022. The research project well fits into the Frontiers in African Business Research series as we have many African contributors.

 The contributions matter to policymakers and academic circles. For students, the book serves as an excellent guide for understanding international trade and investment theories and gaining up-to-date knowledge on developments in the world economy and their effects on developing countries and SDGs. Trade policy researchers and students will be able to extend theories and empirical data to address new and emerging topics beyond the settings already covered in the book.

Keywords

  • Trade and investment in East Africa
  • EAC enlargement (EAC-6 to EAC-7)
  • Productivity development and firm heterogeneity in East Africa
  • East African trade policy analysis
  • Industry and value chain analysis in East Africa
  • Sustainable development in East Africa
  • Tripartite EAC-COMES-SADC FTA model

Editors and Affiliations

  • International Institute of Social Studies, Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Hague, The Netherlands

    Binyam Afewerk Demena, Peter A.G. Van Bergeijk

About the editors

Binyam Afewerk Demena (Ph.D.) is a development economist committed to responding to questions arising in today’s global problems. His research, which is largely inspired by the SDGs, lies at the intersection of Development, Environment and Health. He has  made contributions on a broad range of topics of impact evaluation including in the areas of international trade, foreign direct investment, economic sanctions, uptake of solar energy systems, public health, public governance, environmental emissions, information and communications technology for development (ICT4D), rural infrastructure programs, and formalization of informal firms, drawing both on qualitative and quantitative methods in different forms. He has a track record of published research in peer-reviewed scientific journals, among others in Energy Economics, Energy Policy, Environmental and Resource Economics, Labour Economics, Journal of Economic Surveys, AIDS Patient Care and STDs, and Third World Quarterly. He has solid field research experience in low- and middle-income countries.


Peter van Bergeijk is a full and tenured professor of International Economics/ Macroeconomics, International Institute of Social Studies of Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Hague, The Netherlands, since 2009. His research interests include world trade, economic sanctions, diplomacy, development, natural and man-made disasters, and trade uncertainty. He is the (co)editor of The Gravity Model in International Trade: Advances and Applications (2010), Research Handbook on Economic Diplomacy (2019), Research Handbook on Economic Sanctions (2021), SDGs and Income Inequality (2017). Recent monographs include Deglobalization 2.0 (2019) and Pandemic Economics (2021).



Bibliographic Information

Buying options

eBook USD 139.00
Price excludes VAT (USA)
  • ISBN: 978-981-19-4211-2
  • Instant PDF download
  • Readable on all devices
  • Own it forever
  • Exclusive offer for individuals only
  • Tax calculation will be finalised during checkout
Hardcover Book USD 179.99
Price excludes VAT (USA)