An Evidence of Diverging SAARC Economies

Uzma Zia ()

No 2019:170, PIDE-Working Papers from Pakistan Institute of Development Economics

Abstract: Assessment of economic-integration and disparities is essential to gain overall glimpse on regional inequalities. Regional trade and investment agreements are critical for economic integration of the regional economies and political harmony. Their contribution to integration and growth of economies is indispensable as they have been instrumental in reducing trade barriers, improving competitiveness, advancing technological options and attracting foreign direct investment. This study attempts to find income-convergence/ divergence among the SAARC countries in the presence of trade liberalisation, technology accumulation, government effectiveness and foreign direct investment. Using ß-convergence, the income-convergence or divergence is examined for the period 1999-2015. Panel estimation techniques used here takes into account regional-heterogeneity. Findings show there is a lack of interregional associations and SAARC as a regional-alliance did not met the expectations in terms of reaping regional benefits. Since the signing of SAPTA and SAFTA the SAARC countries have been on the path of divergence leading us to conclude that SAARC is practically ineffective at this time.

Keywords: Regional Economic Integration; SAARC; Income-Convergence/ Divergence; ß-convergence; Trade Liberalisation; Technology Accumulation; Government Effectiveness and Foreign Direct Investment (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Pages: 23 pages
Date: 2019
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-int
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations:

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.pide.org.pk/pdf/Working%20Paper/WorkingPaper-170.pdf First Version, 2019 (application/pdf)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:pid:wpaper:2019:170

Access Statistics for this paper

More papers in PIDE-Working Papers from Pakistan Institute of Development Economics Contact information at EDIRC.
Bibliographic data for series maintained by Khurram Iqbal ().