Economic Commission for Africa
NEPAD and Regional Integration Division

Objective

The NEPAD and Regional Integration Division (NRID) is responsible for implementing ECA's programs on economic cooperation and integration. The main objectives of the Division are to:

•  Strengthen the process of regional integration in Africa through promoting intra-regional and international trade as well as physical integration, with particular emphasis on the transport and communications sector;

•  Strengthen the United Nation's system support for the implementation of NEPAD at the regional and sub regional levels, and

•  Provide support to the NEPAD secretariat.

The Division expects to contribute to strengthened national capacities for policy-making in the area of regional integration and enhanced coherence, coordination and cooperation among United Nations agencies in support of the implementation of NEPAD at the regional and sub regional levels. To help achieve these objectives and outcomes, the Division is structured into three sections: Regional Integration Section, Infrastructure Section and the NEPAD Support Unit.

Regional Integration

NRID has been and continues to be a major source of intellectual support to the process of Africa's integration, and indeed a "think thank" for analyzing, clarifying and providing solutions to a variety of issues and challenges confronting this process. Of far-reaching potential impact is NRID's work in evaluating the status of Africa's integration process embodied in the serial Report on the Assessment of Regional Integration in Africa (ARIA) : The first ARIA report (ARIA I) comprehensively assessed Africa's progress on regional integration. ARIA (II) published in 2005, looked at the burning issue of rationalization of the RECs. ARIA III (to be published in early 2008) will be on the issue of macro-economic policy convergence. In 2009, the division plans to publish ARIA IV to address the important issue of intra-African trade.

Duties and Responsibilities of Consultant

•  Conduct analyses of intra-African trade flows and intra-African trade potential, including demand

and supply surveys;

•  Provide assistance in the finalization of ARIA III on macro-economic policy convergence;

•  Participate in the production of ARIA IV;

•  Conduct research and analyses on trade facilitation issues.

Infrastructure (Transport, Energy, Water, Mining)

Transport

In the area of transport, NRID is at the forefront of efforts to advance the objectives of NEPAD's short-term Action Plan in infrastructure development. A key activity is the division's involvement in the implementation of the Sub-Saharan Africa Transport Program (SSATP) designed to encourage Member States to adopt sound transport policies and strategies as well as institutional reforms. NRID is also playing a significant role in the implementation of the Yamoussoukro Decision on air transport liberalization in Africa.

Energy

The division continues to provide assistance to Member States and their institutions in the promotion of energy pools, and in the management of shared natural resources such as water. In response to capacity building needs, in collaboration with the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA), the division is involved in capacity building courses on integrated resources planning (IRP) for Energy/Electricity in Africa to help raise awareness of energy experts from the RECs and power pools on future energy demand and supply scenarios in planning for sustainable energy development using analytical models developed by the IAEA.

Water

Africa Water Report: The first comprehensive African Water Development Report (AWDR) was launched in 2006. Prepared on the basis of official data and indicators from various relevant organizations, AWDR is expected to serve as a dynamic system of monitoring and managing process in the implementation of the African Water Vision and other international challenges such as the Millennium Development Goals. Several advisory missions are conducted in Member States on water to promote and build capacity on integrated water resources management, groundwater assessment, national nodes of the African water information clearing houses, and on the implementation of the Climate for Development (ClimDev) Africa Program. In addition, the division services the Annual UN Water Africa meetings.

Mining

The division organizes training workshops on the issues of minerals clusters and economic development strategies. It plans to organize these workshops periodically to acquaint policy makers and other stakeholders with the day-to-day issues of mineral exploitation and development in Member States, especially within the framework of NEPAD's Spatial Development Initiative (SDI). Within the framework of activities to promote mineral clusters, the division undertakes studies on minerals clusters in selected countries.

Duties and Responsibilities of Consultant

•  Conduct case studies on transport policies, strategies and institutional reforms in the area of

transport;

•  Conduct studies on the role of mining sector in selected countries;

•  Undertake mining cluster case studies;

•  Carry out African water development regional and sub-regional studies and prepare reports;

•  Conduct case studies on the implementation of the African Water Vision 2025;

•  Conduct pilot studies on energy/power sustainability.

NEPAD Support

As a strategic partner to NEPAD, ECA continues to provide active support to the NEPAD process. The NEPAD Support Unit in NRID has been designed to further strengthen ECA's support to NEPAD and its role of coordinating and operationalising UN support to NEPAD.

Duties and Responsibilities of Consultant

•  Production of booklets on UN thematic clusters to enhance information sharing and disseminate best

practices;

•  External review of UN system wide support for the implementation of NEPAD at regional and sub-regional levels;

•  Assessments of implementation of NEPAD.

Qualifications

Education

Advanced university degree, preferably a Doctorate, in economics, development economics, social sciences with specialization in the relevant area (trade economics, macro-economics, transport, water, energy, mining).

Work Experience

Minimum of five years of progressively responsible experience required in regional integration related issues and challenges in the context of Africa. In the case of NEPAD support, extensive knowledge of NEPAD-related issues.

Competencies

Professionalism - Demonstrates professional competence and mastery of statistics; sound analytical and problem-solving skills; ability to determine suitability, validity and accuracy of data provided by others; experience in the use of various research methodologies and sources, including electronic sources on the internet and other databases, good planning and organization of own work and meeting commitments conscientiously and efficiently; Technological Awareness - Demonstrates initiative in keeping abreast with technology and actively seeks to apply it to appropriate tasks. Teamwork - Good interpersonal skills; ability to establish and maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds. Communication - Demonstrates openness to sharing information and keeping people informed; strong communications skills, both oral and written, especially ability to draft/edit a variety of written reports and studies in a clear, concise style. Planning and Organizing - Proven ability to prioritize, plan and organize own work and ability to integrate work into the work of the unit; ability to monitor and adjust plan and priorities as necessary and to work according to deadlines

Languages

Fluency in written and oral English or French and knowledge of the other language is an advantage.

HOW TO APPLY

Interested persons who wish to be considered for the roster are requested to complete the Personal History Form (Form P-11) and send it before 31 May 2008 by e-mail to: ecarecruitment@uneca.org . Kindly note that only applications submitted on Form P-11 will be reviewed.

The United Nations shall place no restrictions on the eligibility of men and women to participate in any capacity under conditions of equality in its principal and subsidiary organs (Charter of the United Nations - Chapter 3, article 8).

After the initial screening process, persons found to meet the eligibility requirements indicated in the TORs will be contacted for verification of their academic and professional credentials. On completion of the verification process, those retained for roster will be advised accordingly. They will subsequently be contacted to undertake consultancy assignments whenever the need arises. The duration of such assignments ranges from one to six months.