Economic Commission for Africa
Sub-Regional Office, Eastern Africa (SRO-EA)

Objective

The Sub-Regional Office, Eastern Africa (SRO-EA) covers the following 13 countries: Burundi, Comoros, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Rwanda, Seychelles, Somalia, Tanzania and Uganda. Almost all are LDC's and show a low level of development and a high level of poverty. Although this sub-region has the biggest share of African population (30%), it represents only 10% of the GDP of the continent. Five out of 13 countries are landlocked, five have access to the sea and three are islands in the Indian Ocean.

It is in response to these challenges that the SRO-EA endeavours to spearhead the Commission's support to Regional Economic Communities (RECs) including COMESA, EAC, IGAD, SADC, ECCAS, CEGPL and other sub-regional institutions on issues furthering sub-regional integration and development. Strengthening their operational capacities and assisting in program implementation in such areas as trade liberalisation, infrastructure development, will achieve this. The integration process remains the roadmap towards transforming the East African sub-region into a middle-income area.

Duties and responsibilities of Consultant

•  Provide technical support and expertise to undertake reviews and draft comprehensive recommendations for strengthening the policy issues and sectoral programmes towards sub-regional integration and development;

•  Carry out country specific socio-economic reviews with focus on major areas of the sectoral programmes for the development capacities of RECs and member countries in support of their development efforts;

•  Review existing policies, programs, and the strategies in the East African sub-region with a view of preparing up-to-date, comprehensive national policies for the longer-term development of economic sectors and based on recognized international best practices;

•  Contribute to and support SRO-EA 's current and planned activities aimed at supporting member states efforts for the establishment and strengthening their knowledge management centres including statistical services for their better participation in exchange and networks; leading in shaping ECA's agenda priorities and programme implementation in support of sub-regional efforts for regional integration and development; d eveloping special sub-regional initiatives and programmes in specific circumstances and situations requiring specific treatments such as post conflict and other crisis situations and other emergencies; and mobilizing and supporting local competencies and promote collective self-reliance, through networks of experts and institutions ;

•  Carry out research studies and provide strategic advice to the EA_SRO on the following activities: identify regulatory bottlenecks and strength in the region and sub region law and regulations with a view for harmonization; review existing policies, legislation, and regulations with a view to aligning them to the NEPAD and African Union Protocols; consult with key stakeholders in order to collect the information on the legal and economic issues; f inalize and/or develop relevant new policies, legislation, regulations, and procedures;

•  Provide a crucial contribution to the SRO-EA's activities in establishing strong partnership with Governments and other stakeholders such as NGOs, CSOs, CBOs and private sector on specifics following issues: conflict resolution and post-conflict reconstruction after over a decade of wars and civil strife across the sub-region; consolidation of economic stabilization and promotion of sustainable poverty reduction through the achievement of MDGs; building competitiveness of the economies through human and infrastructural capacity development and efficient utilization; address environmental imbalances with special focus on soil fertility losses in a context characterized by low purchasing power for the acquisition of fertilizers and the need to achieve food security; promote policy convergence for accelerated regional integration in a context of multiple membership and the lack of harmonization among several regional integration processes in the regional economic communities (RECs); promote Gender Equity and Equality, engender policies, programmes and budgets, and promote employment with special focus on youth.

Qualifications

Education

The candidate should have advanced university degree, Master's degree or equivalent in Economics and/or related fields complying with the tasks needed.

Work Experience

Candidates should have a minimum of five years experience, preferably in economics, with emphasis on related issues. Experience in working with government officials is an asset and excellent writing and communication skills are required.

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.

Languages

The candidate must be fluent in written and spoken English or French and knowledge of additional language will be an added asset.

Other desirable/required Skills

Strong computer skills including the use of software relating to macroeconomic and international trade research, and econometric analysis is desirable. Proficiency with spreadsheet and database applications as well as facility with word processing, presentation programs and the Internet is required.

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.