Regional Integration and Participation of COMESA Member Countries in Global Value Chains

ABSTRACT This research provides an empirical assessment of the contribution of regional integration to the involvement of COMESA member nations in international value chains from 1995 to 2019. Using the instrumental variables technique, we arrive at the main result that regional integration is a factor for the participation of COMESA member countries in global value chains. In addition, we also find that each dimension of regional integration (de jure and de facto trade integration, de jure and de facto economic integration and de jure and de facto financial integration) is a factor in the upstream and downstream participation of COMESA member countries in global value chains. These results provide African countries with tools to put in place a comprehensive and simplified approach that makes use of all aspects of regional integration to increase their involvement in global value chains.