This paper employs the WITS-SMART simulation model to examine the welfare effects of economic integration in the TFTA region. The results indicate that welfare gains are skewed, and some countries and economic sectors are poised to gain more than others. Ceteris paribus, there is a proclivity for larger economies to benefit more than smaller economies, and also, restricted economies are likely to have more trade creation than already liberalised countries.

The controversy whether the “fear of floating” or the “fear of capital mobility” determines a country’s foreign reserve holdings is an ongoing research debate. This issue remains unresolved in global economic and finance studies. This study has the aim to contribute to the ongoing debate by probing the determinants of foreign exchange reserves in Southern African countries. This study makes use of the annual data sets over the period of 26 years from 1990 to 2015, with the application of the ARDL approach within a panel econometric framework.

Effective risk management is a prerequisite to find an acceptable balance between the objectives of a customs operation and the streamlined flow of goods. The customs operations in many developing countries are characterised by high levels of physical inspections, with resulting disruption of trade flows, but with little positive impact for the regional economy. Most developed economies have moved towards customs risk management models based on the analysis of rich datasets that can be used to accurately determine the risk represented by a cargo consignment without physically stopping it.