EAPD provided an overview of the WEFM and what could help to address. See below email content:

"EAPD run a global macro-econometric model (known as the World Economic and Forecasting Model (or WEFM) to generate short-term (t+1 and t+2) growth forecasts for more than 170 countries and territories world-wide. Individual country forecasts of the model are linked via a trade matrix that equilibrates global export and import volumes and prices. EAPD is able to fine-tune and calibrate individual country models depending on the availability of data and other country-specific or other idiosyncratic factors. WEFM is not a policy model. As such, it does not contain policy variables – such as interest rate, tariff or tax rates – that can be tweaked to assess the impact of a particular policy choice. EAPD is, however, able to introduce shocks to the structural variables (many of them can be proxies for underlying policy variables) and trace their pass-through effects. Lately, EAPD added a poverty module to run medium-term poverty headcount forecasts that triangulates growth, income distribution and poverty. The choice of a particular model, and its feasibility, depends on what the policymakers in Tajikistan have in mind and their expectations from a model. If they are looking for a growth forecasting model, EAPD would be happy to share the WEFM files for Tajikistan. The government partners or the RCO would, however, need the EViews statistical package and requisite skills to run the model. If they are looking for a policy model to simulate policy outcomes, WEFM is perhaps not the optimal choice. Modelling framework such as the GTAP (or other CGE models) may be considered. RCO may also consider looking at optimization models – such as the CLEWS – which allows policymakers to choose an optimal path (e.g. regarding the use of water or energy resources) to achieve a given objective. Should there be any interest in an optimization model (e.g. CLEWS), EAPD may be in a position to provide necessary capacity development support".

No feedback from Government or RCO. The assumption is that they chose a different model