Julien GOURDON

Country risk economist at AFD, Julien Gourdon is a specialist in international economics and economic development. He is also an Associate Researcher at CERDI and a Senior Fellow at FERDI.

Julien Gourdon joined AFD’s Research Department in July 2025, as part of the team monitoring economic dynamics and country risk. He specifically covers Brazil, Cambodia, Côte d'Ivoire, Egypt, the Philippines, and Vietnam.

Before joining the Research Department, Julien Gourdon was an economist in AFD’s Africa Department since 2020. Previously, he worked as an economist at the OECD (2014–2020), at CEPII (2011–2014), and at the World Bank (2006–2011).

He holds a PhD in Economics from CERDI–University of Auvergne.

Academic work

• “Les ressources minières africaines face aux acteurs mondiaux”, with P. Bosse, Revue internationale et stratégique 136, Editions IRIS (2024)
• “A (more) systematic exploration of the trade effect of product-specific rules of origin”, with K. Gourdon, J. de Melo, World Trade Review 22 (3-4), 421-435 (2023)
• “Estimating the repercussions from China's export value‐added tax rebate policy”, with L. Hering, S. Monjon, S. Poncet, Scandinavian Journal of Economics 124 (1), 243-277 (2022)
• “Les ressources minières africaines face aux acteurs mondiaux”, with P. Bosse, Revue internationale et stratégique 136, Editions IRIS (2024)
• “A (more) systematic exploration of the trade effect of product-specific rules of origin”, with K. Gourdon, J. de Melo, World Trade Review 22 (3-4), 421-435 (2023)
• “Estimating the repercussions from China's export value‐added tax rebate policy”, with L. Hering, S. Monjon, S. Poncet, Scandinavian Journal of Economics 124 (1), 243-277 (2022)
• “Rules of Origin across African Regional Trading Agreements: A landscape with measures to address challenges at Harmonization”, with D. Kniahin, J. De Melo, M. Mimouni, Journal of African Trade 96-108 (2020)
• “How Government Procurement Measures Can Affect Trade”, with J. Messent, Journal of World Trade, 53(5), 105-120 (2019)
• “Assessing the price and quantity effect of non-tariff measures”, with O. Cadot, F. Van Tongeren, Revue d’économie du développement, 27 (1), 11-43 (2019)
• “Trade policy and industrial policy in China: What Motivates Public Authorities to Apply Duties on Export?”, with S. Monjon, S. Poncet. China Economic Review, 40(C), 105-120 (2016)
• “Non-Tariff Measures, Preferential Trade Agreements, and Prices: New evidence”, with O. Cadot, Review of World Economics, 152(2), 227-249 (2016)
• “Are Export Support Programs Effective? Evidence from Tunisia”, with O. Cadot, A. Fernandes, A. Mattoo, Journal of International Economics 97(2), 310-324 (2015)

Books

• Non-tariff Measures: Quantitative Methods for Assessing Economic Effects, edited with O. Cadot, M. Ferrantino, D.J. Reyes, World Bank (2018)
• Where to Spend the Next Million? Applying Impact Evaluation to Trade Assistance, edited with O. Cadot, A. Fernandes, A. Mattoo, World Bank-CEPR (2011)

Contributions to edited volumes

• “Vers une exploitation minière responsable en Afrique : quels enjeux pour les pays producteurs de minerais critiques”, with H. Kinda, H. Lapeyronie, in L'Economie africaine 2024, Repères, La Découverte (2024)
• “Intégration régionale et zone de libre-échange continentale africaine : espoir d’une croissance durable pour l’économie africaine ?”, with W. Ouattara, C. Zaki in L'Economie africaine 2022, Repères, La Découverte (2022)
• “Mapping Rules of Origins in Preferential Trade Agreements”, with M. Angeli, I. Gutierrez, P. Kowalski, in The Evolution of Deep Trade Agreements, World Bank (2020)
• “Government Procurement in ASEAN: Issues and How to Move Forward”, with V. Bastien, in NTMs and ASEAN’s Trade: From Protection to Precaution, ERIA/ CNUCED (2019)
• “Trade Policy, Export Incentives, and Consumer Welfare”, with O. Cadot, S. Kathuria, M. Malouche, in Strengthening Competitiveness In Bangladesh—Thematic Assessment: A Diagnostic Trade Integration Study, World Bank (2016)
• “Non-tariff measures: Regional cooperation and competitiveness through regulatory governance”, with P. Augier, O. Cadot, M. Malouche in Arab Spring and Integration, edited by M. Gasiorek, Femise-CEPR (2013)
• “Natural Resource Heterogeneity and the Incentives and Impact of Regional Integration”, with C. Carrere, M. Olarreaga, in Natural Resource Abundance, Growth and Diversification in MENA - The Effects of Natural Resources and the Role of Policies edited by N. Diop, D. Marotta and J. de Melo, World Bank (2012)
• “South Asia’s Economic Prospects from Global Rebalancing and Integration”, with D. Dasgupta, N. Pitigala, in Economic Reform Processes in South Asia: Toward Policy Efficiency edited by Philippa Dee for The Routledge Studies in the Growth Economies of Asia (2012)
• “Non-Tariff Measures: Evidences from the recent data collection”, with A. Nicita, in Non-Tariff Measures: A fresh look at trade policy's new frontier edited by O. Cadot and M. Malouche, World Bank- CEPR publication (2012)
• “Openness, Inequality and Poverty: Endowment Matter”, with N. Maystre and J. de Melo, in Globalization and Inequality edited by Milanovic for The Globalization of the World Economy Series (2012)
• “Can Matching Grants Promote Exports? Evidence from Tunisia's FAMEX Program”, with J.M. Marchat, S. Sharma, T. Vishwanath, in Where to Spend the Next Million? Applying Impact Evaluation to Trade Assistance edited by O. Cadot, A. Fernandes, J. Gourdon and A. Mattoo, World Bank-CEPR (2011)
• “FDI flows and Export Diversification: Looking at Extensive and Intensive Margins”, in Trade Competitiveness of the Middle East and North Africa- Policies for Export Diversification edited by N. Diop, J. Lopez-Calix and P. Walkenhorst, World Bank (2010)
• “Trade-Induced Changes in Economic Inequalities: Assessment Issues and Policy Implications for Developing Countries”, with S. Chabe-Ferret, A. Marouani and T. Voituriez, in Trade, Globalization and Sustainability Impact Assessment edited by P. Ekins and T. Voituriez, Earthscan (2009)

• “L’impact de la politique commerciale des États-Unis sur les économies africaines” with S. Azuelos, The Conversation France (May 2025)
• “Le commerce électronique, levier essentiel pour l’intégration régionale en Afrique”, with R. Bhatnagar, The Conversation France (February 2025)
• “What’s holding back Africa’s digital trade revolution?”, with R. Bhatnagar, OECD Development Matters (January 2025)
• “Exploitation minière en Afrique : enjeux fiscaux, sociaux et environnementaux”, The Conversation France (April 2024)
• “Les minerais critiques, des ambitions pour l’Afrique”, The Conversation France (February 2024)
• “Les nouveaux enjeux de l’expansion minière en Afrique”, The Conversation France (January 2024)
• “Boosting trade through flexible rules of origin in preferential agreements” with J. de Melo,K. Gourdon, Economic Research Forum Policy Portal (December 2023)
• “La taxe mondiale sur les multinationales est-elle vraiment une opportunité pour l’Afrique ?” The Conversation France (September 2022)
• “Envol des prix, insécurité alimentaire… les lourdes conséquences pour l’Afrique de la guerre en Ukraine”, The Conversation France (April 2022)
• “La nouvelle stratégie énergétique de la Chine en Afrique : enjeux et défis”, The Conversation France (March 2022)
• “Quel avenir pour le libre-échange en Afrique ?”, The Conversation France (February 2022)
• “Harmonising rules of origin for the African continental free trade area”, with  J. de Melo, M. Mimouni, D. Kniahin, Economic Research Forum Policy Portal (June 2021)
• “Accord commercial États-Unis/Europe : vers une baisse de la qualité des produits ? ”, Le Blog du CEPII, Billet (11 June 2014)
• “Mesures non tarifaires : que négocie-t-on avec les États-Unis ? ”, Le Blog du CEPII, Faits & Chiffres (6 June 2014)
• “Le remboursement discriminant de la TVA aux exportateurs : une politique industrielle efficace pour la Chine ”, Le Blog du CEPII, Faits & Chiffres, 26 February 2014 with S. Monjon, S. Poncet
• “Union européenne et Etats-Unis : combien pour le plus grand accord commercial au monde ?”, with L. Fontagné, Le Blog du CEPII, Billet (22 February 2013)
• “Les enjeux d’un accord commercial transatlantique ”, with S. Jean, Le Blog du CEPII, Billet (February 2013)
• “L’accord de libre-échange pas comme les autres ”, with S. Jean, Le Blog du CEPII, Billet (15 February 2013)
• “Regional Integration and Natural Resources: Who Benefits?”, with C. Carrere, M. Olarreaga, VoxEU (May 2012)
• “Impact Evaluation in Trade: Time for a Cultural Revolution?”, with O. Cadot, A. Fernandes and A. Mattoo, VoxEU (January 2012)