Informal cross-border trade in Africa: How much? Why? And what impact?
Informal cross-border trade (ICBT) represents a prominent phenomenon in Africa. Several studies suggest that for certain products and countries, the value of informal trade may meet or even exceed the value of formal trade. This paper provides a review of existing efforts to measure informal trade....
| Main Authors: | , , |
|---|---|
| Format: | Artículo preliminar |
| Language: | Inglés |
| Published: |
International Food Policy Research Institute
2018
|
| Subjects: | |
| Online Access: | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/147260 |
| _version_ | 1855532494357528576 |
|---|---|
| author | Bouët, Antoine Pace, Kathryn Glauber, Joseph W. |
| author_browse | Bouët, Antoine Glauber, Joseph W. Pace, Kathryn |
| author_facet | Bouët, Antoine Pace, Kathryn Glauber, Joseph W. |
| author_sort | Bouët, Antoine |
| collection | Repository of Agricultural Research Outputs (CGSpace) |
| description | Informal cross-border trade (ICBT) represents a prominent phenomenon in Africa. Several studies suggest that for certain products and countries, the value of informal trade may meet or even exceed the value of formal trade. This paper provides a review of existing efforts to measure informal trade. We list 18 initiatives aimed at measuring ICBT in Africa. The paper also summarizes discussions conducted with many stakeholders in Africa between December 2016 and May 2018 regarding the measurement, the determinants, and the implications of ICBT. The methodologies used to measure ICBT in Africa differ widely, but they do confirm that informal trade in Africa is both sizeable and volatile. Both evidence on the determinants of ICBT and discussions with stakeholders suggest that policies should aim to reduce the existing costs associated with formal trade and provide positive incentives for traders and producers to move into the formal economy in order to avoid the loss of economic potential stemming from informal trade. |
| format | Artículo preliminar |
| id | CGSpace147260 |
| institution | CGIAR Consortium |
| language | Inglés |
| publishDate | 2018 |
| publishDateRange | 2018 |
| publishDateSort | 2018 |
| publisher | International Food Policy Research Institute |
| publisherStr | International Food Policy Research Institute |
| record_format | dspace |
| spelling | CGSpace1472602025-11-06T06:58:26Z Informal cross-border trade in Africa: How much? Why? And what impact? Bouët, Antoine Pace, Kathryn Glauber, Joseph W. smuggling trade barriers trade policies trade tariffs Informal cross-border trade (ICBT) represents a prominent phenomenon in Africa. Several studies suggest that for certain products and countries, the value of informal trade may meet or even exceed the value of formal trade. This paper provides a review of existing efforts to measure informal trade. We list 18 initiatives aimed at measuring ICBT in Africa. The paper also summarizes discussions conducted with many stakeholders in Africa between December 2016 and May 2018 regarding the measurement, the determinants, and the implications of ICBT. The methodologies used to measure ICBT in Africa differ widely, but they do confirm that informal trade in Africa is both sizeable and volatile. Both evidence on the determinants of ICBT and discussions with stakeholders suggest that policies should aim to reduce the existing costs associated with formal trade and provide positive incentives for traders and producers to move into the formal economy in order to avoid the loss of economic potential stemming from informal trade. 2018-12-21 2024-06-21T09:12:42Z 2024-06-21T09:12:42Z Working Paper https://hdl.handle.net/10568/147260 en https://doi.org/10.11130/jei.2017.32.4.937 https://hdl.handle.net/10568/148007 https://hdl.handle.net/10568/153483 https://doi.org/10.2499/p15738coll2.133423 Open Access application/pdf International Food Policy Research Institute Bouet, Antoine; Pace, Kathryn; and Glauber, Joseph W. 2018. Informal cross-border trade in Africa: How much? Why? And what impact? IFPRI Discussion Paper 1783. Washington, DC: International Food Policy Research Institute (IFPRI). https://hdl.handle.net/10568/147260 |
| spellingShingle | smuggling trade barriers trade policies trade tariffs Bouët, Antoine Pace, Kathryn Glauber, Joseph W. Informal cross-border trade in Africa: How much? Why? And what impact? |
| title | Informal cross-border trade in Africa: How much? Why? And what impact? |
| title_full | Informal cross-border trade in Africa: How much? Why? And what impact? |
| title_fullStr | Informal cross-border trade in Africa: How much? Why? And what impact? |
| title_full_unstemmed | Informal cross-border trade in Africa: How much? Why? And what impact? |
| title_short | Informal cross-border trade in Africa: How much? Why? And what impact? |
| title_sort | informal cross border trade in africa how much why and what impact |
| topic | smuggling trade barriers trade policies trade tariffs |
| url | https://hdl.handle.net/10568/147260 |
| work_keys_str_mv | AT bouetantoine informalcrossbordertradeinafricahowmuchwhyandwhatimpact AT pacekathryn informalcrossbordertradeinafricahowmuchwhyandwhatimpact AT glauberjosephw informalcrossbordertradeinafricahowmuchwhyandwhatimpact |