Impact of Regional Road Infrastructure Improvement on Intra-Regional Trade in ECOWAS
Impact of Regional Road Infrastructure Improvement on Intra-Regional Trade in ECOWAS
复制标题
DOI：
10.1111/1467-8268.12093
复制
发表时间：
2014-11-01
影响因子：
2.9
通讯作者：
Akpan, Uduak
中科院分区：
文献类型：
--
作者：
Akpan, Uduak
本研究采用贸易的引力模型，以审查西非经共体次区域的区域道路基础设施的质量提高的影响，从目前的水平，在南非的道路水平，对区域内贸易。这项研究扩展了传统的重力模型，包括语言，共同边界和道路质量的变量。贸易伙伴人均国内生产总值的正差异也被包括在内，以检验林德假设。模型中的参数是使用随机效应模型估算的，结果表明，在其他条件不变的情况下，这种改善将导致区域内贸易比2012年增加3.5606亿美元（4.97%）。此外，道路质量的改善带来的附带好处是生产要素的流动增加，这将在中长期内进一步促进区域内贸易。为了提高道路质量改善的效益，西非经共体各国政府需要建立其他“软”基础设施，以快速实现西非经共体贸易自由化计划的目标。然而，提高道路质量需要巨大的财政投资，因此必须认真考虑成本效益权衡。
This study employs the gravity model of trade to examine the impact of improving the quality of a regional road infrastructure in the ECOWAS sub-region, from its current level to the level of roads in South Africa, on intra-regional trade. The study augments the traditional gravity model to include variables for language, common border and road quality. The positive difference in per capita GDP of trading partners is also included to test the Linder hypothesis. The parameters in the model are estimated using the random-effect model and the result shows that such improvement will lead to a US$356.06 million (4.97 per cent) increase in intra-regional trade relative to the 2012 level, ceteris paribus. Moreover, the ancillary benefits of improvement in road quality in terms of increased movement of factors of production will foster further intra-regional trade in the medium and long terms. To enhance the benefits of the improvement in the road quality, ECOWAS governments needs to put in place other soft' infrastructures to fast-track the achievement of the objectives of the ECOWAS trade liberalization scheme. However, increasing the quality of roads demands huge financial investment, thus a cost-benefit trade-off must be carefully considered.