As part of a multi-phase technical assistance program, CLDP is partnering with the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (MEDT) and the Government of Ukraine to improve the quality of trade and economic policy formulation in Ukraine’s efforts to fulfill World Trade Organization (WTO) rights and obligations. CLDP is undertaking training and utilizing the economic modeling resources of the Global Trade Analysis Project (GTAP) to enable the relevant Ukrainian ministries and agencies to conduct global trade analysis and apply quantitative analysis in policy making. GTAP, a global network of researchers and policy makers conducting quantitative analysis of international policy issues, aims to improve the quality of quantitative analysis of global economic issues.

In the second workshop of this program, CLDP organized a five-day Workshop on Economic Modeling and Trade Policy Development II in Kyiv on June 2-6, 2014 for about 25 Ukrainian Government officials. The workshop was led by Dr. Marinos Tsigas of the US International Trade Commission, an expert in macroeconomic modeling, with a doctoral candidate at Purdue University and the Head of the Department for Development of Foreign Economic Activity and Cooperation with the EU of the Economic Research Institute of MEDT assisting as advisors. The first day of the workshop focused on lectures and the following day began hands-on computer-based training in preparation for running exercises in small groups. Participants then conducted economic analysis in small groups using GTAP data and the RunGTAP software and presented their work.

This group of newly-trained government economists will continue their analysis over the next several months in preparation for a third workshop, to be held in Kyiv in September 2014, which would focus on ways forward based on the strengths and limitations identified within the participants' organizations. This program will assist Ukraine in establishing a knowledgeable core of officials who will utilize quantitative economic analysis in free trade negotiations and to conduct macroeconomic policy forecasts. Completion of this multi-phase program will enable Ukraine to conduct a more economically justified approach to the formulation of its future trade policy and positions in negotiations with both WTO members and other parties.