DIRECTION OF TRADE OF THE AFRICAN COUNTRIES

DIRECTION OF TRADE OF THE AFRICAN COUNTRIES

--Dr.Debesh Bhowmik

The Middle East and North Africa’s trade to the world rose from 2011 to 2012 both in exports and imports but trade balance surplus reduced marginally. In 2011, they exported 1253.39 billion dollar which rose to 1339.04 billion dollar in 2012 where as import increased from 804.74 billion dollar to 931.25 billion dollar. Even their trade with advanced countries, Western Hemishere increased but decreased in Europe where negative trade balance rose a bit. They exported637.12 billion dollar to Advanced countries in 2011that stepped up to 677.53 million dollar in 2012 where as import rose from 381.97 billion dollar to 417.63 billion dollar. On the other hand their trade to Emerging developing countries, Developing Asia and Sub Saharan Africa had risen to some extent but balance of trade went to either side.

Sub Saharan Africa’s trade to the world has fallen ie, export fell to 369.65billion dollar in 2012 from 372.31 billion dollar in 2011but import rose from 363.33 billion dollar in 2011 to 379.38 billion dollar in 2012 ie a change over surplus to deficit trade balance. Their trade with advanced countries had dwindled both in exports and in imports but surplus balance reduced marginally. Their trade with sub-Saharan Africa had stepped up and even with the developing countries including developing Asia. So, intra-African trade has boosted clearly. They exported 151.86 billion dollar in 2011 which extended to 168.73 billion dollar in 2012 but imported 192.34 billion dollar in 2011 to 211.16 billion dollar in 2012 to the emerging and developing countries. To the developing Asia, they exported 85.23 billion dollar in 2011 that increased to 98.81 billion dollar in 2012 and import shifted from 94.18 billion dollar to 166.30 billion dollar during the same period. But African trade share with respect to developed countries did not moved upward significantly.

	Middle East and North Africa (US billion dollar)
	Export	Import	Export	Import	Export	Import
	2010		2011		2012
World	950.34	709.58	1253.39	804.74	1339.04	931.25
Advanced Economies	484.40	348.15	637.12	381.97	677.53	417.63
Emerging and Developing countries	395.81	355.90	530.18	452.95	569.28	506.98
Developing Asia	235.13	156.93	328.39	199.8	358.52	221.71
Europe	21.41	53.61	27.26	69.10	26.92	89.98
Sub-Saharan Africa	21.21	6.42	25.68	6.99	26.17	8.24
Western Hemishere	8.93	20.69	13.34	29.84	14.18	30.72
	Sub Saharan Africa(US billion dollar)
World	294.47	296.36	372.31	363.33	369.65	379.38
Advanced Economies	162.12	133.64	204.83	159.53	187.35	155.30
Emerging and Developing countries	128.42	152.71	151.86	192.34	168.73	211.16
Developing Asia	72.22	71.23	85.23	94.18	98.81	106.30
Europe	4.61	7.13	5.13	10.87	5.24	10.62
Sub-Saharan Africa	4.82	25.34	5.53	29.41	6.56	31.66
Western Hemishere	11.36	9.78	15.58	13.89	14.23	14.31

 Source-DOT-IMF