EFFECTS OF NON-TARIFF BARRIERS ON RWANDA’S INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS IN THE EAST AFRICAN COMMUNITY A CASE OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION
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Sep 9, 2023
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Abstract
The purpose of this study was to assess the effect of non-tariff barriers on Rwanda’s international relations in the East African Community. The study was guided by comparative advantage theory. Descriptive research design was used to achieve the study objectives. The target population for this study constituted 184 officials of Rwanda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation from whom a sample of 126 respondents was selected using stratified random sampling method. Data was collected using a questionnaire and was analyzed using descriptive, inferential and thematic content analysis techniques. Analyzed statistical data was presented using tables and charts while qualitative data was documented using narratives. This study concluded that Non-tariff barriers have a positive and significant effect on Rwanda’s International Relations in East African Community. From the findings, this study recommended that the government of Rwanda should continue supporting and advocating for trade liberalization within the EAC. This can be achieved through negotiations within the EAC's Common External Tariff (CET) framework.
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References
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Aggarwal, R., & Ranganathan, P. (2019). Study designs: Part 2 - Descriptive studies. Perspectives in clinical research, 10(1), 34–36.https://doi.org/10.4103/picr.PICR_154_18.
Aiginger, K. & Davies, S. W (2004). “Industrial Specialization and Geographic Concentration: Two Sides of the Same Coin? Not for the European Union.” Journal of Applied Economics, 2004, 7(0), pp. 231– 48.
Anderson, J. E. & van Wincoop, E. (2004) “Trade Costs.” Journal of Economic Literature, 2004, 42(3), pp. 691–751
Arvis, J., Yann, D., Ben, S., Chorthip, U., and Anasuya, R. (2016). “Trade Costs in the Developing World: 1996 –2010.” World Trade Review 15 (3), 51–744.
Bayne, N. (2009). Financial Diplomacy and the credit crunch: The Rise of Central Banks. Journal of International Affairs, 62(1), 1-16.
Cadot, O. (2012). Non-tariff measures in Burundi: The way forward. Washington, The World Bank (background report to the DTIS update).
Carballo, J, Georg, S., and Christian, V. (2016). “Trust No One? Security and International Trade. “DB Working Paper Series.
Cassim A, Lilenstein K, Oosthuizen M &Steenkamp F (2015). Informality and Inclusive Growth in Sub-Saharan Africa. Development Policy Research Group Policy Brief 15/44. World Bank
Davis, D. R. & Weinstein, D, E. (2003) “Market Access, Economic Geography and Comparative Advantage: An Empirical Test.” Journal of International Economics, 2003, 59(1), pp. 1–23.
Defraigne JC (2016). Is a Strengthening South-South Regional Integration Possible? FédéralismeRégionalisme. 16: 1–12.
Downs, A. (1957). An Economic Theory of Democracy. New York: Harper & Row.
Duval, Y., Nora, N., and Chorthip, U. (2016). “Do Trade Facilitation Provisions in Regional Trade Agreements Matter? Impact on Trade Costs and Multilateral Spillovers. “ART Net Working Paper Series.
East African Community (EAC) (2016a). Overview of EAC. Available at: http://www.eac.int/about/overview
Ehrich, M., and Axel, M. (2018). “The Role of Private Standards for Manufactured Food Exports from Developing Countries. “World Development 101 (2), 16–27.
Flick, U. (Ed.). (2017). The Sage handbook of qualitative data collection. Sage.
Helms, L. (2014). Global Political Leadership in The Twenty-First Century: Problems And Prospects. Contemporary Politics 20, 3 261-277. Academic Search Complete. Web.
Hill, C. (2010). International Business: Competing in the Global Marketplace. (8th ed.). Mc- Graw-Hill Companies: New York.
Hotelling, H. (1929). Stability in Competition. Economic Journal 39 (1929): 41–57.
Kihumba, L. (2018). The effect of Kenya’s and Tanzania’s economic interests in the east African community (EAC) Between the Periods 1967-1977 and 2000-2016. Retrieved from http://erepo.usiu.ac.ke/handle/11732/17/browse?
Kimeu, U. (2020). The challenges of regional integration: case study of EAC (2000-2019). Retrieved from http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/bitstream/handle/11295/154674/Kimeu_The%20challenges%20of%20Regional%20Integration%20-20case%20study%20of%20EAC%20%282000-2019%29.pdf? sequence=1&isAllowed=y
MEAC (2014). Growth Beyond Rwanda’s Boarders: Seven Years of accession to the EAC. Integration Affairs, Ministry of the East African Community, Issue 9. 2014
Mold, A. (2020) Countdown to Implementing the African Continental Free Trade Area. Retrieved from https://www.brookings.edu/blog/africa-in-focus/2020/10/20/the-countdown-to-implementing-the-african-continental-free-trade-area-in-east-africa/
Peter, W. (2015). Fairness in International Trade and Investment: North American Perspectives. Journal of Business Ethics.
Ranganathan, P., & Aggarwal, R. (2018). Study designs: Part 1–An overview and classification. Perspectives in clinical research, 9(4), 184.
Trefler, D. (2004) “The Long and Short of the Canada-US Free Trade Agreement.” American Economic Review, 2004, 94(4), 870 –95
USAID (2022). Economic Growth and Trade. Retrieved from https://www.usaid.gov/east-africa-regional/economic-growth-and-trade
Uwineza, B. (2018). Conducted an Evaluative analysis of the compliance with the EAC-CMP: the cases of Rwanda and Tanzania. Retrieved from http://erepo.usiu.ac.ke/bitstream/handle/11732/4531/
Wanjugu, T. B. (2019). The effect of EAC trade block on economic growth in Kenya. http://erepository.uonbi.ac.ke/bitstream/handle/11295/108123/
World Bank (2016). Women, Business and the Law. Washington, DC: World Bank.
World Bank. (2020). World Development Indicators. Washington DC: World Bank