Author(s)

Gilhaimé Mouanda-Mouanda

School of International Trade and Economics, University of International Business and Economics, Beijing, China.

This paper analyzes the pattern of trade in value-added in Africa using a comprehensive database from the Research Institute for Global Value Chains at the University of International Business and Economics. We find that African economies absorb more foreign inputs in complex GVCs compared to their domestic factor content exported in simple GVCs. In addition, Southern Africa and North Africa are respectively top exporter and importer in simple GVCs while West Africa ingest the largest proportion of intermediate goods coming from abroad in complex GVCs. The secondary sector has the highest level of integration in absorbing foreign inputs. Finally, African countries, albeit weakly, are involved in downstream specialization particularly in Western and Eastern Africa.

Global Value Chains, Upstreamness, Downstreamness, Africa

Mouanda-Mouanda, G. (2019) Global Value Chains Participation for African Countries: An Overview from UIBE GVC Index System. Open Journal of Business and Management, 7, 941-962. doi: 10.4236/ojbm.2019.72064.