Ensuring that Africa Keeps Rising: The Economic Integration Imperative

26 Pages Posted: 28 Jun 2014

See all articles by Adrian Saville

Adrian Saville

University of Pretoria - Gordon Institute of Business Science

Dr. Lyal White

University of Pretoria - Gordon Institute of Business Science

Date Written: June 26, 2014

Abstract

Cyclical factors, and especially the commodities boom, have played a big part in Africa’s impressive growth record since 2000. But the ‘Africa Rising’ narrative is increasingly supported by important macroeconomic reforms and structural changes that bode well for sustained levels of economic growth and development. A critical determinant of whether this trend continues is the nature and extent of African countries' economic integration with the rest of the world and with neighbours. To date, researchers often have sidestepped the issue of economic integration in studies on African growth because of an uneven understanding of the true role and influence that economic integration plays, compounded by the low level of economic integration historically displayed by African economies and large gaps in data. This paper aims to fill this gap by employing Pankaj Ghemawat's framework which measures trade, capital, information and people (TCIP) flows, coupled with unique data, to assess the nature and extent of cross-border interactions, economic openness and integration amongst 11 of sub-Saharan Africa's largest economies.

Keywords: economic integration, connectedness, Africa

JEL Classification: F20, F43, F63

Suggested Citation

Saville, Adrian and White, Lyal, Ensuring that Africa Keeps Rising: The Economic Integration Imperative (June 26, 2014). Available at SSRN: https://ssrn.com/abstract=2459473 or http://dx.doi.org/10.2139/ssrn.2459473

Adrian Saville

University of Pretoria - Gordon Institute of Business Science ( email )

Lynnwood Road
Pretoria 5100
South Africa

Lyal White (Contact Author)

University of Pretoria - Gordon Institute of Business Science ( email )

Lynnwood Road
Pretoria 5100
South Africa

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