Consultant-Developing a global dynamic CGE model for Oman- GETSI

Contract

This is a Consultancy contract. More about Consultancy contracts.

Result of Service

The required outputs to be delivered by the consultant are the following: • The new global database to be used for the calibration of the GETSI-Food version. • The gams code for the calibrated GETSI Food, including the g00 file.

Work Location

Remotly

Expected duration

3.5 months

Duties and Responsibilities

Background: Agriculture is one of the most problematic areas in international trade negotiations. While significant progress has been achieved in reducing trade barriers and other policy distortions in manufacturing through various multilateral agreements, in regional and bilateral arrangements and under unilateral trade reforms, agricultural markets remain highly distorted. Both industrial and developing countries still provide relatively high levels of protection and support to agricultural sectors. In addition, many countries, particularly the industrialized, provide various forms of support for agriculture. Agricultural trade liberalization is particularly sensitive in developing countries because policymakers are concerned about the potential impact on small-scale farmers, who typically account for a large share of the poor. The issue is politically sensitive in industrialized countries as well, at least partly because of the disproportionate political power of farm groups. The Ukraine-Russia crisis showed once again the importance of food security with the growing tendency towards more support to the agricultural sector in both developed and developing sectors. In spite of this sensitivity, there is a widespread belief that reducing the trade barriers and policy distortions affecting agriculture will increase economic efficiency and aggregate income. In the political arena, however, there is resistance to unilateral and regional liberalization before an depth of agricultural distortions at the global level. This is the case with the Doha’s round of multilateral trade negotiations which still suffering from any significant progress on the agriculture sector. The latest ministerial conference of WTO organized in Abu Dhabi confirms one again the sensitivity of this sector and the resilience of most member countries towards changing the rules. On the request of its member countries, ESCWA is planning to develop a specific version of its global economy wide CGE model focusing on agricultural trade and distortions, both domestic and on trade. The tool will be used by the GCC countries to analyse the impacts of alternative potential reforms of support to farmers in a context increasingly affected by volatility of both production and world prices. Duties and Responsibilities: The consultant is expected to undertake the following tasks: 1. Using the modified GTAP 11.00 and a new sectoral and geographical structure, the consultant will assist ESCWA’s team in building an appropriate global database for calibration of the GETSI-GCC agricultural version. In the database and the model, the six GCC countries will be individually integrated in addition to the most important producers and consumers of food products in the world. The database will also consider a large disaggregation of the agricultural sector with a focus on the main groups of products. 2. Assist ESCWA’s team in defining the baseline scenario (dynamic calibration) for the countries and regions individually included in the model for the period 2018-2035. 3. Assist ESCWA’s team in calibrating the dynamic version of the GETSI using the new global database and the assumptions use for the baseline scenario. 4. Assist ESCWA’s ESCWA in developing the g00 file required to develop the MIRO UP for uploading the model on ESCWA’s GAMS-MIRO Platform. 5. Participate to national and regional training on the model’s interface if needed. If this is the case, the cost of travel and subsistence of the training missions will be covered by ESCWA.

Qualifications/special skills

An advanced university degree in applied economics or related area is required. A PHD is desirable. All candidates must submit a copy of the required educational degree. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. A minimum of 10 years of professional work experience in Developing and applying Global Dynamic CGE models using GAMS is required.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat; and Arabic is a working language of ESCWA. For this position, fluency in English is required. Fluency in Arabic is required. Note: “Fluency” equals a rating of ‘fluent’ in all four areas (speak, read, write, and understand) and “Knowledge of” equals a rating of ‘confident’ in two of the four areas.

Additional Information

Not available.

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.