论文部分内容阅读
Different studies and publications have been made about the African countries’economic integrations and achievements in the past three decades. These studies assessed theactual and potential benefits of the different regional economic integrations in Africa andmost of them claim that there is positive outcome （impact） of these integrations on themember states’ economic growth. This research discusses the economic effect of theCOMESA integration on Eritrea’s economic development by assessing the global tradeperformance and intra-COMESA trade of Eritrea from2001to2012. It also analyses theevolution of intra-COMESA and extra-COMESA trade of the member states in the sameperiod and it tries to figure out the significance of Eritrea’s trade performance in intra-COMESA trade and on its economic development. Moreover, it also empirically investigatesthe correlation of the trade performance and its real GDP （output）. The research shows that in contrast to some of the member states of the integration, thereis no clear sign of classical benefits of trade creation and competitiveness enhancing thatEritrea has gained from joining COMESA. Since2001, Eritrea’s real GDP growth rate hasbeen in a deteriorating trend, except in2011and2012where the growth progressed due to theexport of gold and silver from the mining industry. Both the descriptive and empiricalanalysis of the research indicates that the contribution of COMESA to the development ofEritrea’s economy is negligible despite the improvements of trade volume between Eritreaand COMESA member states.