The empirical evaluation of the determinants of industrial manufacturing in the CEMAC zone

Abstract

The aim of this article is to assess the determinants of industrial manufacturing in the CEMAC zone. To achieve this, we make use of a gravity model on a static panel with random effects, according to the methodology proposed by Hausman-Taylor. The results show that the population, value added of the manufacturing sector, colonial links and geographic proximity have significant impacts with the expected signs. On the other hand, the difference in absolute value of per capita GDP, the business climate, financial inflows as well as actual distance are the group variables that arise as constraints to export manufacturing.