CLDP is partnering with the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade (MEDT) and the Government of Ukraine on a technical assistance program aimed at improving Ukraine’s economic and legal development. In phase one, CLDP sponsored the participation of the Head of the Department for Development of Foreign Economic Activity and Cooperation with the EU of the Scientific and Research Institute of Economics at the Ministry of Economic Development and Trade to attend the 21st Annual Short Course in Global Trade Analysis (GTAP), held in Istanbul, Turkey, August 19-25, 2013. The GTAP Short Course consists of a mix of daily lectures, lab assignments, and informal discussions designed to introduce participants to the basic features of the GTAP Model and database. The GTAP Short Course introduced the CLDP participant to a standardized framework for conducting global policy analysis in an applied general equilibrium setting, provided her with ample hands-on training with software that has been tailored to global economic analysis, gave her the opportunity to interact with, and become part of an international network of, economists working on global trade and resource use issues.

In the second phase of this program, CLDP will organize a Workshop on Economic Modeling and Trade Policy Development for Government of Ukraine officials (October 21-22, 2013 in Kyiv), utilizing the CLDP participant from the GTAP Short Course and an international economist from the U.S. International Trade Commission, as advisors. 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.