Regional Integration and Income Inequality in ECOWAS Zone

Ametoglo, Muriel Eyram Silo; Guo, Ping; Wonyra, Kwami Ossadzifo

doi:2018.33.3.604

The Journal of Economic Integration 2018 September;33(3) :604-628.
DOI: https://doi.org/10.11130/jei.2018.33.3.604

Regional Integration and Income Inequality in ECOWAS Zone

Muriel Eyram Silo Ametoglo, Ping Guo, Kwami Ossadzifo Wonyra,

School of Economics and Trade, Hunan University, Changsha 410079, China
LAREA, Université de Kara, BP 43, Togo

Corresponding Author: Muriel Eyram Silo Ametoglo ,Email: murielametoglo@hnu.edu.cn

ABSTRACT

This paper investigates the relationship between regional integration and inequality for the 15 states in the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS) over the period of 2004~2013. Our results suggest that political integration reduces income inequality, while economic integration increases the income gap in ECOWAS zones.

JEL Classification

F14: Empirical Studies of Trade
F15: Economic Integration
D31: Personal Income, Wealth, and Their Distributions
O15: Human Resources; Human Development; Income Distribution; Migration

Keywords: Regional integration | Income inequality | Economic integration | Political i