Maria Pilar Ouro Paz is an Economic Affairs Officer at the United Nations Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia, and a Dual Career PhD fellow at UNU MERIT.
Pilar works as an Economic Affairs Officer for the Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), covering food security and agricultural sustainability topics in the Arab region. Previous to this position, she worked for the World Bank contributing to the impact evaluation of agricultural projects in Eastern Africa, focusing on the use of technologies to increase agricultural productivity and climate change adaptation, and reducing food insecurity in rural areas. In the past, she held various development and economic research roles for institutions such as the International Labor Organization or Innovations for Poverty Action. She has experience in the use of data to inform public policy and development programs, with a specific focus on the economics of food security, agriculture, and the environment. She holds a master’s degree in International Trade from the University Menendez Pelayo and a Bachelor’s degree in International Economics from the University Pompeu Fabra.