Environment and Energy Research

About

Countries

Data & Research

Learning

News

Projects & Operations

Publications

Topics

Home > Data & Research > Research > Programs > Environment and Ener... > ImagebankContents

Regionalizing telecommunications reform in West Africa

Author:	Kessides, Ioannis N.; Noll, Roger G.; Benjamin, Nancy C.;	Collection Title:	Policy Research working paper ; no. WPS 5126
Country:	Western Africa;	Date Stored:	2009/11/11
Document Date:	2009/11/01	Document Type:	Policy Research Working Paper
Language:	English	Region:	Africa
Report Number:	WPS5126	SubTopics:	Environmental Economics & Policies; Transport Economics Policy & Planning; Emerging Markets; E-Business; ICT Policy and Strategies
Volume No:	1 of 1

Summary: In recent years, there has been an increasing recognition that significant welfare gains could be realized through deep forms of regional integration which entail harmonization of legal, regulatory and institutional frameworks. Reforms that reduce cross-border transaction costs and improve the performance of ﾓbackboneﾔ infrastructure services are arguably even more important for the creation of an open, unified regional economic space than trade policy reforms narrowly defined. This paper assesses the potential gains from regionalized telecommunications policy in West Africa. To this end, the paper: (i) discusses how regional cooperation can overcome national limits in technical expertise, enhance the capacity of nations credibly to commit to stable regulatory policy, and ultimately facilitate infrastructure investment in the region; (ii) identifies trade-distorting regulations that inhibit opportunities for regional trade and economic development, and so are good candidates for regional trade negotiations to reduce indirect trade barriers; and (iii) describes substantive elements of a harmonized regional regulatory policy that can deliver immediate performance benefits.


Official Documents Official, scanned versions of documents (may include signatures, etc.)
File Type		Description	File Size (mb)

	PDF 105 pages	Official version*	7.35 (approx.)
	Text	Text version**

* The official version is derived from scanning the final, paper copy of the document and is the official,
archived version including all signatures, charts, etc.

** The text version is the OCR text of the final scanned version and is not an accurate representation of the final text.
It is provided solely to benefit users with slow connectivity.

Permanent URL for this page: http://go.worldbank.org/ZLQ469XAY0