Rafael de Arce Borda

How Regional Integration and Transnational Energy Networks Have Boosted FDI in Turkey (and May Cease to Do so): A Case Study: How Geo-Political Alliances and Regional Networks Matter

Turkey has historically struggled to attract foreign investors. This paper argues that not only macroeconomic and political stability, but also regional integration explains the upsurge in foreign direct investment observed since 2005. The analysis draws from a qualitative framework. It discusses how, contrary to the Customs Union Treaty for industrial products with the European Union, the official start of the European Unions accession to negotiations in 2005 encompassed a wide set of reforms in several chapters directly or indirectly affecting the business climate. The reforms helped to enhance foreign direct investment attraction in Turkey. However, it seems that the global economic slowdown starting in 2009 and increasing Euro-skepticism have already started to erode this effect. Only large foreign investment in the energy sector observed in 2009-13, explained by the energy security strategy of the European Union and the privatization agenda, has prevented the collapse of foreign direct investment inflows to Turkey.

Will Energy Save FDI Inflows to Turkey from the Cool Down of EU Accession Prospects? A Case Study of How Geo-political Alliances and Regional Networks Matter

Abstract Turkey has historically struggled to attract foreign investors. This paper discusses how the start of the European Unions accession negotiations in 2005 encompassed a wide set of reforms in several chapters of the acquis communautaire that resulted in higher foreign direct investment (FDI) attraction. However, it seems that the global economic slowdown of 2009 coupled with increasing Euro-skepticism have already started to erode this effect. Only large a volume of foreign investment in the energy sector observed in 2009–13, explained by the energy security strategy of the European Union and the internal liberalization agenda, has prevented the collapse of FDI inflows to Turkey.

Trade liberalization and poverty reduction in Africa: computable general equilibrium models approach. Literature review

The link between trade liberalization and poverty reduction has played a crucial role on economic policy in developing and least developed countries, particularly in sub-Saharan Africa. Academic research shows a remarkable lack of consensus and no clear effects in the direction of these linkages. This study presents an overview of the impact of trade liberalization on poverty in Sub-Saharan Africa within a general equilibrium framework. In order to do that, the links between trade liberalization and poverty are firstly summarized, reviewing the existent literature. After briefly describing the basic and extended structure of computable general equilibrium models, the advantages and drawbacks of using this methodology to analyze the relation between these two variables is shown, including the main findings from previous literature applied to the particular case of Sub-Saharan countries. Most of the studies conclude that, while trade liberalization has positive effects on poverty reduction in the long run, it should be accompanied by structural reforms, industrial and redistribution policies in order to minimize the expected negative effects in the short-term.