Consultant (Connectivity - Trade and Transport)

Result of Service A comprehensive assessment study on developments and challenges of cross-border paperless railway transit transport facilitation.

Outputs/Work Assignment

Under the general supervision and guidance from the Head of ESCAP East and North-East Asia Subregional Office (SOENEA), the consultant will undertake a comprehensive assessment study on developments and challenges of cross-border paperless railway transit transport facilitation in China, Mongolia and Russian Federation covering the following elements:

1. Background (rising Eurasian Traffic, importance of electronic exchange of information and China-Mongolia-Russia Economic Corridor) 2. Regional arrangement on electronic information exchange among railways in the region and beyond 3. Good practices in digital exchange of information between railway and customs 4. Current legal, institutional and policy aspects/mechanisms fostering electronic information exchange at: A. National level (Customs-to-Railway, C2R): China Mongolia Russian Federation B. Intergovernmental level: Railway-to-Railway (R2R) Customs-to-Customs (C2C) Customs-to-Railway (C2R) 5. Identification of gaps to seamless flow of information between railways and among railways and customs among three countries (legal, institutional and policy aspects) 6. Suggested measures and approach for efficient electronic information exchange among the China- Mongolia- Russia economic corridor, including draft action to enable cross-border paperless transit transport railway operations 7. Draft template on (a) instrument to foster efficient electronic exchange of information among railways of three countries: (b) instrument of electronic exchange of information among customs of three countries 8. Conclusions and recommendations

Work Location Home-based

Expected duration 15 June – 30 September 2022

Duties and Responsibilities Over the last decade, trains plying through the China-Europe rail routes have increased exponentially, from 17 trains in 2011 to 12,406 in 2020. Mongolia is one of the key transit countries along the China-Europe rail route and has been exerting efforts to attract transit traffic. From 2016 to 2019, the volume of transit traffic from China to Russia and the rest of Europe through Mongolia’s territory increased eight times.

Notwithstanding the rise in transit rail traffic volume along the China-Mongolia-Russian Federation Economic Corridor, outstanding issues and gaps on operational connectivity related to trade and transport facilitation have undermined the potential of the corridor. The unprecedented disruptions caused by the COVID-19 pandemic further amplified gaps on operational connectivity. To this end, to preserve seamless and safe connectivity, the pandemic has given rise to policies on digitalization including on railway transport.

Many member countries of the Trans-Asian Railway Network have identified digitalization as priority area in national railway development, one key element of which is on electronic data exchange. For parties to the economic corridor program, China and the Russian Federation have digitalized many aspects of their railway operations while Mongolia is steadily making progress to address its capacity gaps as a transit country in implementing paperless trade and transport operations.

However, while in-country and multi-agency digitalization is gaining much traction at the national level, border crossing delays continue which could be addressed by harnessing the full potential of electronic data exchanges across borders. Through efficient data interexchange between railways and control (Customs) agencies to complete regulatory formalities and operational requirement at border crossing points.

The readiness of China and the Russian Federation to enhance railway efficiency through a stronger railway-customs interface provides a strong foundation to pursue this initiative in the context of the economic corridor program.

During the 7th Meeting of the Working Group on the Trans-Asian Railway Network in May 2021 (ESCAP/TARN/WG/2021/5), Russian Federation shared its initiative on the INTERTRAN project to foster electronic information exchange among railways and border agencies. China and the Russian Federation supported the proposal to amend the Intergovernmental Agreement on Trans-Asian Railway Network by addition of an annex on guiding principles on electronic information exchange between railways and among railways and control authorities.

To this end, the consultant will undertake a comprehensive assessment study covering China, Mongolia and the Russian Federation on developments and challenges of cross-border paperless railway transit transport facilitation. The results of the assessment study will be used in designing the capacity building activities for officials and stakeholders from the three countries involved in cross-border rail transport and transit along the China-Mongolia-Russia economic corridor.

Qualifications/special skills Academic Qualifications: Masters in transport and related fields with work experience (on transport and trade facilitation Experience: Minimum 10 years' professional work experience related to the assigned tasks, particularly, on conducting technical assessments and policy research in railway transport and border crossing facilitation issues Language: Excellent command (spoken and written) of the English language

No Fee THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.