The Effects of Trade and Trade Facilitation on Economic Growth in Africa

This study investigates the effects of trade and trade facilitation on economic growth in Africa. To do so, we measure trade facilitation by means of three indicators, namely trade, export and import related costs, constructed by using principal component analysis. These indicators, in addition to several policy-relevant variables, are used as exogenous variables to estimate an augmented growth model which, with the aid of a dynamic system GMM estimation technique, properly addresses potential endogeneity concerns. The findings suggest that trade facilitation serves as an important channel through which trade affects economic growth.