It is often suggested that regional integration is good for poverty by increasing trade and investment and creating jobs for the poor. At the same time, the number and scope of regional trade agreements is increasing rapidly. However, there is little about whether and how regional integration provisions affect development and poverty in poor countries. The findings of a multi-country research p...

The empirical literature offers regional integration arrangements reduce trade costs among partner countries this reduction in cost not only increase trade but also act as a stimulus to increase FDI flow. South Asian Association for Regional Cooperation (SAARC) was established in 8 December 1985 with the seven South Asian countries (Bangladesh, Bhutan, India, Maldives, Nepal, Pakistan and Sri L...

Needless to say, it is necessary to study the relative scales of the trade creation effect and the trade diversion effect to evaluate success of ASEAN trade integration and to determine whether or not the intra-bloc trade share is appropriate as an indicator of the progress of reducing intra-regional disparities in ASEAN. Therefore, this paper first uses descriptive statistics and some key indi...

This paper examines the relationship between regional economic integration and FDI in North America, where two RIAs have been established over the past decade: a bilateral free trade agreement between Canada and the U.S. (CUSTA) and a trilateral agreement (NAFTA) incorporating Mexico as well. The North American experiences suggest substantially more modest impacts of regional trade agreements o...

Aid for trade constitutes the most successful initiative that has hitherto emerged from the multilateral trade negotiations under the Doha Development Agenda (DDA). Myriad studies show that international trade is essential in sustaining long-term growth and development and in reducing poverty. However, developing economies face market failures and binding constraints—from infrastructural shortc...