@TechReport{iza:izadps:dp9205,
            	author={Schwidrowski, Zuzana Brixiova and Meng, Qingwei and Ncube, Mthuli},
            	title={Can Intra-Regional Trade Act as a Global Shock Absorber in Africa?},
            	year={2015},
	month={Jul},
            	institution={Institute of Labor Economics (IZA)},
            	address={Bonn},
            	type={IZA Discussion Paper},
            	number={9205},
            	url={https://www.iza.org/publications/dp9205},
	abstract={The global financial crisis and the subsequent uneven recovery have underscored the need for Africa's resilience to output and other shocks originated in the rest of the world. A comparison of two regional economic communities – the East African Community (EAC) and the Southern Africa Customs Union (SACU) – suggests that deeper intra-regional, and in particular intra-industry, trade ties have contributed to the EAC's resilience to external output shocks. More broadly, intra-regional and intra-African trade with fast-growing economies, together with geographically diversified trade links, can strengthen the capacity of African countries to absorb global output shocks. Besides helping shield countries from external shocks, intra-regional trade also supports economic diversification and participation in regional value chains.},
	keywords={Africa;output co-movement;intra-regional trade;regional economic communities},
            }