▁Organ is ations ▁( IG Os ) ▁are ▁designed ▁to ▁promote ▁co operation ▁and ▁in hib it ▁political ▁disput es . ▁Institution al ▁t ies ▁promote ▁the ▁exchange ▁of ▁information ▁about ▁the ▁economic ▁g ains ▁and ▁losses ▁of ▁particip ating ▁member ▁states , ▁thereby ▁reducing ▁uncertainty ▁about ▁the ▁distribution ▁of ▁benefits . ▁ ▁Regional ▁institutions ▁also ▁present ▁great ▁influence ▁in ▁address ing ▁issues ▁beyond ▁trade . ▁Regional ▁economic ▁institutions ▁help ▁develop ▁trade ▁expect ations ▁for ▁the ▁future . ▁“ High ▁economic ▁st akes ▁that ▁states ▁have ▁in ▁the ▁continu ation ▁and ▁growth ▁of ▁economic ▁activity ▁in ▁the ▁context ▁of ▁economic ▁regional ism ▁lead ▁to ▁a ▁security ▁community ▁in ▁which ▁states ▁develop ▁a ▁genu ine ▁interest ▁in ▁not ▁only ▁keeping ▁peace ▁with ▁each ▁other , ▁but ▁also ▁def ending ▁their ▁relationship ▁against ▁outside ▁ag gress ors .” ▁▁ ▁In ▁addition ▁to ▁their ▁role ▁in ▁dispute ▁settlement , ▁regional ▁arrang ements ▁can ▁d eter ▁ag gress ors ▁from ▁target ing ▁institution ally ▁connected ▁states . ▁ ▁A yd in ▁( 2 0 1 0 ) ▁makes ▁an ▁important ▁contribution ▁to ▁the ▁extended ▁d eter rence ▁literature ▁and ▁economic ▁peace ▁research ▁through ▁his ▁empir ical ▁study ▁on ▁the ▁d eter rent ▁effect ▁of ▁economic ▁integration . ▁This ▁study ▁shows ▁that ▁trade ▁has ▁a ▁general ▁d eter rent ▁effect ▁on ▁attack ers ▁when ▁the ▁target ▁is ▁econom ically ▁integrated ▁with ▁potential ▁def enders ▁through ▁regional ▁trade ▁institutions . ▁When ▁trade ▁is ▁conducted ▁in ▁an ▁institution al ised ▁setting ▁it ▁can ▁have ▁political ▁imp lications ▁beyond ▁bil ater