01791cas a2200253 a 4500 AALejournalIMF006208 230101c9999 xx r poo 0 0eng d 5.00 USD 9781451962604 1018-5941 BD-DhAAL BD-DhAAL Wolde, Hirut. Constraints on Trade in the MENA region / Hirut Wolde, Rina Bhattacharya. Washington, D.C. : International Monetary Fund, 2010. 1 online resource (19 pages) IMF Working Papers <strong>Off-Campus Access:</strong> No User ID or Password Required <strong>On-Campus Access:</strong> No User ID or Password Required Electronic access restricted to authorized BRAC University faculty, staff and students In this paper we estimate gravity models to see whether trade volumes of countries in the MENA region are significantly lower than what would be expected given their economic, cultural and geographical characteristics. Our empirical results show that the variables used in standard gravity models cannot explain a significant part of MENA's trade performance, particularly on exports. We then go on to 'augment' the standard gravity model with relevant variables from the World Bank's Business Enterprise surveys. Our results further show that these variables, and in particular transport constraints and inefficiencies in customs clearance processes, are important in explaining the MENA region's underperformance in trade. Mode of access: Internet Bhattacharya, Rina. IMF Working Papers; Working Paper ; No. 2010/031 Full text available on IMF http://elibrary.imf.org/view/journals/001/2010/031/001.2010.issue-031-en.xml IMF e-Library