Rethinking Trade Preferences: How Africa Can Diversify its Exports

Anthony Venables and Paul Collier

No 6262, CEPR Discussion Papers from C.E.P.R. Discussion Papers

Abstract: This paper argues that the contribution of trade preferences to economic development needs to be reappraised in light of the growth of globalized trade in manufactures. Trade preferences may be able to act as a catalyst for manufacturing exports, leading to rapid growth in exports and employment. To do so, preferences need to be designed to be consistent with international trade in fragmented ?tasks? (as opposed to complete products) and need to be open to countries with sufficient levels of complementary inputs such as skills and infrastructure. Recent experience with the African Growth and Opportunities Act shows that, in the right conditions, Sub-Saharan African countries have had large manufacturing export supply response to trade preferences.

Keywords: Agoa; Eba; Export diversification; Rules of origin; Trade preferences (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: F12 F13 F14 O14 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2007-04
New Economics Papers: this item is included in nep-afr, nep-dev and nep-int
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (110)

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