The objective of the assignment is to develop the architecture for a reliable secured platform/application which enables official trade negotiators and stakeholders from the eighteen ESCWA member countries to engage and communicate on all issues related to the Arab Customs Union negotiations. This online facility will be constructed in a second phase of the project by ESCWA in partnership with LAS and member countries with the specific aim to facilitate discussions on online ACU negotiations topics to facilitate coming to agreement.
Beirut
The consultancy will be implemented over a period of 3 months:
In a rapidly evolving trade landscape, deepening regional integration is a strategic priority by many developing nations, especially from the Arab region. This is particularly critical to boost intra-regional trade, which remains low in the region as compared to other regions and support Arab countries in their much-needed structural transformation efforts. Several economic integration frameworks have been set-up or are currently being envisaged in the Arab regions. The most important one is the Pan Arab FTA implemented since 2005. Despite some limitations and barriers, the PAFTA represents an important integration project in the region. Moving from PAFTA to an Arab Customs Union (ACU) may represents an important step towards deeper Arab integration. ESCWA has been assisting LAS and member countries in the negotiations process through various activities including design of scenarios on the structure of CET, undertaking exante assessments of potential scenarios, analyzing the specific nature of agricultural trade, the ACU in an overlapping trade integration schemes in the region…. The present assignment goes beyond the previous activities by the design of a negotiation toolkit which will improve coordination and accelerate negotiations.
The Arab Customs Union is a customs union announced at the Arab League's 2009 Arab Economic and Social Development Summit in Kuwait in order to establish a customs union by 2015 and an Arab common market by 2020 and to increase inter-Arab trade and integration. Ever since, Arab League Member States (who) have been discussing the customs union plan and its structure with reviews of legal and regulatory aspects. Most Arab member countries agreed to put forward an implementing plan with some asking for an independent accord to govern the customs union. The Arab customs union resolution contains 17 chapters and 179 articles regulating economic and trade relationship between Arab countries and aims to boost trade and investment among member states.
Academic Qualifications: • Advanced university degree in Economics and specifically in international trade.
Experience: • Advanced knowledge in Arab Customs Union issues.
• Understanding of technical modalities of trade negotiations in general and on ACU in
particular
Language: Fluency in English and Arabic. For this specific assignment, the technical paper should be prepared in Arabic or English.
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.