Consultant for the Establishment of a Trade Policy Analysis and Negotiations Unit At the COMESA secretariat

The Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA) is a Regional Economic Community formed by 19 members. The total GDP of its membership is over USD 360 billion; total population is over 400 million. COMESA’s Vision is to “be a fully integrated, internationally competitive regional economic community with high standards of living for its entire people ready to merge into an African Economic Community”. Its Mission is to “to achieve sustainable economic and social progress in all Member States through increased co-operation and integration in all fields of development particularly in trade, customs and monetary affairs, transport, communication and information, technology, industry and energy, gender, agriculture, environment and natural resources”. COMESA’s Mission highlights the importance of trade, customs and monetary affairs for the organization. Like all COMESA Secretariat Departments, the Trade, Customs and Monetary Affairs (TCMA) Division’s specific Mission Statement is “to provide excellent technical services to COMESA in order to facilitate the region’s sustained development through economic integration”. Presently, the TCMA Division has 5 Units: 1. The Internal Market Unit: Core Objectives: To achieve and maintain a seamless Internal market for Trade in goods. To lay a foundation for the Common Market to be established in 2015. To enforce rules prohibiting trade barriers. To achieve and maintain participation by all member states in the FTA. 2. The External Trade Unit: The core objective of this unit is to develop and maintain the common external trade policy of the Customs Union. 3. The Customs Unit: Core Objectives: To maintain the Common External Tariff. To Strengthen the customs administrations of member states. To establish mechanisms for revenue collection and sharing. To establish the customs rules on free circulation. 4. The Services Unit: Core Objectives: To deepen and broaden the liberalization of trade in services. To lay a foundation for the Common Market to be established in 2015. To develop and maintain a common system for analysis of the performance and role of services sectors. 5. The Monetary and Fiscal Unit: Core Objectives: To lay a foundation for the monetary union. To promote macroeconomic stability. To strengthen the national and regional financial system. To establish the COMESA Monetary Institute. To coordinate the COMESA institutions in the area of monetary and fiscal affairs. Regarding the current structure, COMESA Secretariat has identified the critical need of a solid Trade Policy Analysis Unit (TPAU) on its common external trade policy unit, covering regional and multilateral trade issues as well as South-South cooperation with emerging powers like Brazil, China and India. This is now critical as COMESA consolidates its Customs Union and given that international trade relations directly affect its Member States and the achievement of its vision as COMESA region.

Duties and Responsibilities

It is against this background that COMESA, through its TCMA Division, has requested the UNDP Regional Trade Project to provide some capacity development support for better trade policy formulation. A particular focus will be given on the establishment, with ensured sustainability, of a solid COMESA Trade Policy Analysis Unit (TPAU) at the COMESA Secretariat. Coordination and/or policy research and elaborations of positions, proposals and implementation plans will be done by this unit. Approach and Methodology: A team composed of a Lead Consultant, a National Consultant and a Junior International Consultant will be responsible for conducting this exercise. Team’s tasks include assessing the strategic and structural alignment of the Trade Policy Analysis Unit (TPAU). The team will make a diagnostic for identifying the specific needs (mission, human resources, trainings, equipment…) of this new unit. UNDP‘s expert support for a capacity assessment of the new Trade Policy Analysis Unit specific needs will include the following activities: Review of the trade policy context for the COMESA, including the global (multilateral trade negotiations, EPAs and related issues such as Aid for Trade) and regional (including the tripartite agreement SADC, COMESA and EAC) levels. This will help identifying the core issues facing the COMESA and the Trade Policy Analysis Unit in particular. Collect and analyze detailed information related to the implementation of the new TPAU, including mandate and organizational structure; functions within the Trade, Customs and Monetary Affairs Division, design, job description of the TPAU management and staff, formulation and implementation of trade related policies; relation and cooperation mechanisms with other COMESA Units and trade agencies, as well as key stakeholder groups. This will help identifying functional capacities related to the core issues identified above. Design of a capacity assessment and development processes and outcomes including development of assessment materials, with a view to completing capacity diagnostics that shed light on resource requirements. Facilitate preparation of an action plan for the implementation of the new TPAU, based on outcomes of discussions with stakeholders; the action plan should include a tentative costing, with indications of potential funding resources. Devise resource mobilization strategies. Ensure sustainability of the TPAU through a series of trainings, recruitment strategy etc. based on the outcome of the capacity development plan, which is their main responsibility (the Institution building is the outcome of the needs assessment and the capacity development plan; as such the details will be teased out and detailed after the initial exercise. But it should be stressed that this is the ‘backbone’ of the whole exercise). Leave the work to trained (existing or newly recruited) staff gradually so that the institution can be a solid part of the organization. During the missions interviews will be conducted with as many key stakeholders as possible to collect information and perceptions on current key capacity assets and needs as well as priority areas for implementing a COMESA Trade Policy Analysis Unit. Interviews should include: key stakeholders within the TCMA Division, key stakeholders of strategic line COMESA Directorates, development partners in Zambia, and other Zambian domestic stakeholders (as Zambia could represent COMESA members) to triangulate results (e.g. private sector, business sector, research institute, NGOs). As indicated above, this diagnostic exercise will be followed by a detailed analysis of needs, costs, implementation strategy and timeframe. Consultants will undertake an in depth analysis of what will be needed to meet the desired levels of capacity in the TPAU as prioritized by the COMESA Secretariat and will establish the level of support required, including what can be provided by UNDP, what would require collaboration with other development partners, and a road map for securing such collaboration. A fund raising document will be prepared for sharing with potential donors. Deliverables: This mission will result in some reports validated by key stakeholders. The main outputs are: A report on the detailed description of the new Trade Policy Analysis Unit: vision, mission, duties, responsibilities, staffing and other necessary arrangements…). A capacity development plan identifying areas and modalities of capacity building, and any institutional reform required along with providing a systematic costing. This will include an implementation framework, budget estimates and potential sources of funding. A fund raising document (based on the capacity development plan) which will be shared to potential donors. A validation meeting with key stakeholders.

Competencies

In-depth knowledge of multilateral trade issues and South-South cooperation is required. Previous work experience with international organizations or donors, particularly in the area of trade, is required. Ability to interpret results and provide practical recommendations.

Required Skills and Experience

Education: Post-graduate degree in economics, economic development, trade or a related field. Experience: At least 10 years of experience working on economics and trade policy issues. Experience in working with Regional Economic Communities is welcomed. Experience in working with government officials is welcomed. Experience in conducting studies to assess the impact of economic policies on human development is welcomed. Language: Excellent communication, particularly writing skills, in English.

UNDP is committed to achieving workforce diversity in terms of gender, nationality and culture. Individuals from minority groups, indigenous groups and persons with disabilities are equally encouraged to apply. All applications will be treated with the strictest confidence.

Consultant for the Establishment of a Trade Policy Analysis and Negotiations Unit At the COMESA secretariat