Algeria–Mali Trade : The Normality of Informality
This paper estimates the volume of informal trade between Algeria and Mali and analyzes its determinants and mechanisms, using a multi-pronged methodology. In addition to mirror statistics analysis, we provide evidence of the importance of informal trade, drawing on satellite images and surveys with...
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| Format: | Journal Article |
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Taylor and Francis
2017
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| Online Access: | http://hdl.handle.net/10986/28935 |
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okr-10986-289352021-05-25T10:54:41Z Algeria–Mali Trade : The Normality of Informality Bensassi, Sami Brockmeyer, Anne Pellerin, Mathieu Raballand, Gaël INFORMAL TRADE CUSTOMS SMUGGLING INFORMALITY POVERTY REDUCTION This paper estimates the volume of informal trade between Algeria and Mali and analyzes its determinants and mechanisms, using a multi-pronged methodology. In addition to mirror statistics analysis, we provide evidence of the importance of informal trade, drawing on satellite images and surveys with informal traders in Mali and Algeria. We estimate that the weekly turnover of informal trade fell from approximately US$2 million in 2011 to US$0.74 million in 2014, but that trade continues to play a crucial role in the economies of northern Mali and southern Algeria. We also show that official trade statistics are meaningless in this context because they capture less than 3% of total trade. Meanwhile, profit margins of 20–30% on informal trade help to explain the relative prosperity of northern Mali. Informal trade probably plays a strong role in poverty reduction, especially in the Kidal region. 2017-12-04T21:23:43Z 2017-12-04T21:23:43Z 2017-07-03 Journal Article Middle East Development Journal 1793-8120 http://hdl.handle.net/10986/28935 CC BY-NC-ND 3.0 IGO http://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-nd/3.0/igo World Bank Taylor and Francis Publications & Research :: Journal Article Publications & Research Africa Middle East and North Africa Algeria Mali |
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Digital Repository |
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Foreign Institution |
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Digital Repositories |
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World Bank Open Knowledge Repository |
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World Bank |
| topic |
INFORMAL TRADE CUSTOMS SMUGGLING INFORMALITY POVERTY REDUCTION |
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INFORMAL TRADE CUSTOMS SMUGGLING INFORMALITY POVERTY REDUCTION Bensassi, Sami Brockmeyer, Anne Pellerin, Mathieu Raballand, Gaël Algeria–Mali Trade : The Normality of Informality |
| geographic_facet |
Africa Middle East and North Africa Algeria Mali |
| description |
This paper estimates the volume of informal trade between Algeria and Mali and analyzes its determinants and mechanisms, using a multi-pronged methodology. In addition to mirror statistics analysis, we provide evidence of the importance of informal trade, drawing on satellite images and surveys with informal traders in Mali and Algeria. We estimate that the weekly turnover of informal trade fell from approximately US$2 million in 2011 to US$0.74 million in 2014, but that trade continues to play a crucial role in the economies of northern Mali and southern Algeria. We also show that official trade statistics are meaningless in this context because they capture less than 3% of total trade. Meanwhile, profit margins of 20–30% on informal trade help to explain the relative prosperity of northern Mali. Informal trade probably plays a strong role in poverty reduction, especially in the Kidal region. |
| format |
Journal Article |
| author |
Bensassi, Sami Brockmeyer, Anne Pellerin, Mathieu Raballand, Gaël |
| author_facet |
Bensassi, Sami Brockmeyer, Anne Pellerin, Mathieu Raballand, Gaël |
| author_sort |
Bensassi, Sami |
| title |
Algeria–Mali Trade : The Normality of Informality |
| title_short |
Algeria–Mali Trade : The Normality of Informality |
| title_full |
Algeria–Mali Trade : The Normality of Informality |
| title_fullStr |
Algeria–Mali Trade : The Normality of Informality |
| title_full_unstemmed |
Algeria–Mali Trade : The Normality of Informality |
| title_sort |
algeria–mali trade : the normality of informality |
| publisher |
Taylor and Francis |
| publishDate |
2017 |
| url |
http://hdl.handle.net/10986/28935 |
| _version_ |
1764468120133566464 |