Regional Integration and Trade Costs in South Asia

This presentation discusses the current state of regional trade in South Asia, specifically the South Asia Association for Economic Cooperation (SAARC). It then discusses the main obstacles for expansion of regional trade in South Asia, specifically poor infrastructure and trade costs resulting from onerous documentation requirements. It concludes with a set of recommendations to facilitate trade in the region. It was presented at the Latin America/Caribbean and Asia/Pacific Economics and Business Association (LAEBA)'s 4th Annual Meeting held in Lima, Peru on June 17th, 2008.