Person:
Benjamin, Nancy Claire
Author Name Variants
Fields of Specialization
Public Sector; International Trade; Regulation
Degrees
Departments
Poverty Reduct & Econ. Mgmt Dept, Middle East & North Africa Region, World Bank
Externally Hosted Work
Contact Information
Last updated
January 31, 2023
Biography
I am a native of California and received my PhD in economics from UC Berkeley. I worked as an Assistant Professor at Syracuse University, in the Asia Department of the IMF and in the Research Department of the US International Trade Commission. I have published widely on resource-rich countries, the impact of trade policy on productivity and growth, nontariff barriers, and on trade in services. Since joining the World Bank, I have worked on West African and Middle Eastern countries, focusing on public expenditures, growth and governance. I also worked on mutli-country projects in Africa and the regulation of multi-country infrastructure. My greatest pleasure is working closely with our client countries.
Publication Search Results
1 - 3 of 3
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Publication
Estimating Informal Trade across Tunisia's Land Borders
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2013-12)This paper uses mirror statistics and research in the field to estimate the magnitude of Tunisia's informal trade with Libya and Algeria. The aim is to assess the scale of this trade and to evaluate the amount lost in taxes and duties as a result as well as to assess the local impact in terms of income generation. The main findings show that within Tunisian trade as a whole, informal trade accounts for only a small share (5 percent of total imports). However, informal trade represents an important part of the Tunisia's bilateral trade with Libya and Algeria, accounting for more than half the official trade with Libya and more than total official trade with Algeria. The main reasons behind this large-scale informal trade are differences in the levels of subsidies on either side of the border as well as the varying tax regimes. Tackling informal trade is not simply a question of stepping up the number of controls and sanctions, because differences in prices lead to informal trade (and to an increase in corruption levels among border officials) even in cases where the sanctions are severe. As local populations depend on cross-border trade for income generation, they worry about local authorities taking action against cross-border trade. At the same time, customs officials are concerned about the risk of local protests if they strictly enforce the tariff regimes in place. This issue will become even more significant if fuel prices in Tunisia rise again as a result of a reduction in the levels of domestic subsidies. -
Publication
Regionalizing Infrastructure for Deepening Market Integration : The Case of East Africa
(World Bank, Washington, DC, 2012-06)The East African Community has long recognized that regional economic integration can yield significant welfare gains to its member states. To that end, the community has been making steady progress towards the removal of tariffs and quantitative restrictions to trade. Moreover, in recent years, there has been an increasing recognition that: (a) even greater welfare gains could be realized through deeper forms of regional integration which entail harmonization of legal, regulatory and institutional frameworks; and (b) reforms that reduce cross-border transaction costs and improve the performance of "backbone" infrastructure services are arguably even more important for the creation of an open, unified regional economic space than trade policy reforms narrowly defined. Disparities of regulatory treatment across borders can introduce distortions that hinder both cross-border trade and the aggregate flows of investment on a regional basis. Regulatory harmonization and infrastructure regionalization could make a significant contribution to the region's economic development by promoting a more efficient utilization of its human and physical resources, enhancing connectivity, reducing the costs of trade, and facilitating the integration of the continent with the global economy. -
Publication
Regionalizing Telecommunications Reform in West Africa
( 2009-11-01)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 backbone 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.