Effects of the Common External Tariff on intra-regional trade: The case of the West African Economic and Monetary Union and the Economic Community of West African States.

Abstract

In West Africa, two common external tariffs coexist at the sub-regional and regional level with eight countries out of fifteen sharing their membership of the two entities. This paper analyzes intra-West African Economic and Monetary Union trade flows with the implementation of the Economic Community of West African States common external tariffs. The study makes use of a methodology which is based on an augmented gravity model. Overall, the findings from the three estimated models converge in the same direction, with several significant coefficients simultaneously and of the same sign. The findings provide overall satisfaction in the estimation of the gravity model. The lack of diversification of the economies of the two zones is one of the explanatory factors for the relative weakness of intra-regional trade. The issue of the structural transformation of the economies of the member countries therefore arises, more than ever acutely, which would contribute to the intensification of trade to make intra-regional trade one of the levers of economic growth and development in the two customs unions.