But for many other countries, particularly in Africa and the Middle East, progress has been slower. The poorest countries have seen their share of world trade decline significantly and, without reducing their own trade barriers, risk further marginalization. About 75 developing countries and countries with economies in transition, including virtually all least developed countries, fit this description. Unlike successful integrators, they are disproportionately dependent on the production and export of traditional raw materials. The reasons for their marginalization are complex, including deep structural problems, a fragile political context and institutions, as well as protection in Switzerland and abroad. While economists have tried to quantify the overall benefits of openness (e.g.B. Costinot and Rodriguez-Clare 2014), there is not much evidence of actual trade agreements, and little is known about the relative importance of the channels through which trade agreements influence well-being. Baccini L, Urpelainen J. International institutions and domestic politics: Can preferential trade agreements help heads of state and government advance economic reforms? J Politics.

(2014) 76:195-214. doi: 10.1017/S00223813001278 22. Li W, Kenett DY, Yamasaki K, Stanley HE, Havlin S. Ranking of the economic importance of countries and industries. J Netw Finan theory. (2017) 3:1-17 doi: 10.21314/JNTF.2017.031 Opening up their economies to the global economy was essential to enable many developing countries to develop competitive advantages in the production of certain products. . .

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