COMESA MASE Coordinator Job Vacancy Re-Advertisement

Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA)Call for Applications
A. MASE Coordinator (P4) – Re-Advertised
(Candidates who responded to the earlier advertisement should not apply)
I. Introduction and Background:
The ESA-IO region has increasingly been subject to security challenges linked to piracy, maritime insecurity and organised crime.
International Maritime Bureau (IMB) reported in 2009 that the ESA-IO region had become the most pirate infested waters in the world.
Somali pirates have been attacking vessels in the marine areas of Kenya, Tanzania, Seychelles, and Madagascar and further off into the Indian Ocean.
Piracy and lack of maritime security continue to increase transport costs, trade costs and insurance.
This ultimately affects the regional integration process by undermining development efforts which negatively impact on the inclusion of the region in the global economy.
Furthermore piracy increases the risks of terrorism and smuggling of weapons and drugs.
The increasing concern in the region from a political, social and economic perspective, especially in the economically vulnerable small island states prompted the region to attribute to all the Regional Organisations a specific mandate for the fight against piracy.
The 13th COMESA Summit held in June 2009 in Zimbabwe called upon the International Community to adopt a coordinated approach in a holistic manner through the UN.
Following this, a high level regional Ministerial Meeting on Piracy was held on 7 October 2010 in Mauritius and adopted the ESA-IO Regional Strategy and Action Plan against Piracy and for Promoting Maritime Security.
In line with the Action Plan, the Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the East African Community (EAC) and the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the Indian Ocean Community (IOC) under the initiation of the IRCC, have created a common Eastern and Southern Africa and Indian Ocean region (ESAIO) regional programme to support maritime security.
The Programme was developed in accordance with the provisions of the ESA-IO 10th EDF Regional Strategy Paper/Regional Indicative Programme.
COMESA component in this regional programme is seeks to strengthen regional capacity to disrupt the financial networks of pirate leaders and their financiers while also addressing the structural vulnerability factors and minimize the economic impact of piracy.
COMESA will initially focus on ten ESA countries that are signatories of the Djibouti Code of Conduct as its core countries {The target countries comprises Somalia frontline states and countries in the Eastern and Southern Africa and Indian Ocean (ESA-IO) region that border the Indian Ocean including, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Somalia, and Tanzania.}
But it shall also give secondary attention to other neighbouring countries to prevent money laundering shifting their activities especially the less regulated jurisdictions as found in the FATF ICRG list of countries that have deficiencies with respect to compliance with Financial Action Task Force (FATF) standards.
The programme is intended to enable the countries to identify how the proceeds from ransom payments are laundered, identify vulnerabilities in current regional Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering regimes and develop the capacity to address these vulnerabilities, including the development or strengthening of Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs).
The programme will ensure that capacity building to FIUs is done in compliance to recommendations of the FATF.
Another important component of the programme will be to enhance the capacity of the region in financial investigation.
This component will be implemented jointly with INTERPOL, which will initially focus on Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya, Mauritius, Seychelles and Tanzania, through an implementation Agreement with COMESA.
Information sharing and collaboration will be very crucial to the success of analysis, investigation and prosecution of money laundering crimes.
The programme will address institutional setting and development; support coordination and inter-agency linkages and address legal and legislative issues including strengthening legal action against financial crimes.
The implementation will continuously draw from outputs of the 5th Working Group of the International
Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS); the Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG) among others.
The Programme will also receive support from the COMESA Monetary Institute in Nairobi.
The MASE programme falls within the Governance Peace and Security Unit operating in the Office of the Secretary General and will include a dedicated Programme Coordinator, a finance specialist and an administrative assistant.
COMESA would hereby like to recruit a Programme Coordinator to manage the programme and a finance specialist to provide support for the financial aspects of the programme, while at the same time ensuring coherence and providing guidance on finance matters to other programmes under the Governance Peace and Security.
Terms of Reference
A. Job Title: MASE Coordinator
Grade: P4
Expected Results
The MASE Coordinator will ensure that COMESA has in place a fully functioning programme to address piracy by building capacity of Member states to curb money laundering.
Specifically, the MASE Coordinator will ensure:
a. Financial analytical capacity in the region enhanced by setting up and strengthening of national Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) and other analytical tools, and strengthening the financial institutions in the region to analyse, detect and track financial flows linked to piracy, proceeds from financial crimes and other illicit maritime transactions
b. Common, coordinated and inter agency framework on anti-money laundering and piracy funding are developed in ESA-IO, including supporting linkages with national Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs)
c. National money laundering laws and regulations are drafted or amended and regional policy frameworks to counter piracy and to address economic impact of piracy are adopted
d. Regional capacity to investigate and prosecute financial crimes at national and international levels assessed and strengthened
Tasks of the MASE Coordinator
The specific tasks for the MASE Coordinator (MC) are listed below.
The MC shall:
i. Keep abreast of all incidents of piracy and terrorism in the COMESA region including the ongoing programmes and initiatives to address piracy and specifically money laundering
ii. Maintain a good understanding of the status and capacity of member states and particularly the core countries with respect to their response to piracy crimes; specifically:

The status and capacity of the Financial Intelligence Units

The AML/CFT laws that exist in Member states and status of implementation

The status and capacity of the relevant Law enforcement agencies in member statesiii. Keep abreast of other regional and international initiatives that aim at addressing money laundering including the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and FATF-Style Regional Bodies such as the Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-money Laundering Group (ESSAMLG); and the five Working Groups of the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia, particularly the Working Group 5.
iv. Work in close collaboration with INTERPOL in the implementation of its component; also ensuring to receive its reports
v. Ensure to maintain the broader regional aspects of MASE by collaborating with similar officers at the East African Community (EAC), the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the Indian Ocean Community (IOC) on the implementation of MASE
vi. Collaborate with the African Union Peace and Security Department and ensure linkages with the 2050 Africa Integrated Maritime (AIM) Strategy;
vii. Develop programmes and activities, including capacity building programmes that target FIUs in the region by among others:

Initiating courses and programmes that will continuously improve knowledge and understanding AML, CFT and piracy funding;

Advising and providing inputs to the various programmes and activities, required improvements of content and sourcing of resource persons

Ensuring delivery of high quality regional capacity building seminars, workshops, short-term training etc; and,

Prepare annual MASE Work plans in consultation with the Unit Headviii. Produce quarterly activity plans, quarterly aide memoirs and implementation plans for decisions of Council/ Ministers of Foreign Affairs that relate to Maritime Security
ix. Manage the approved budget for MASE ensuring value for money;
x. Produce MASE quarterly, annual and other reports that may be required for the Unit and for the EU; and ensure that financial reports are produced in time
xi. Keep abreast of the financial status of the programme and ensure that requests for replenishment of funds, requests for reallocations are done in time
xii. Provide advice and technical assistance on the laws, procedures, practices, and reforms thereof, related to financial intelligence, AML and CFT, and Piracy funding.
xiii. Carry out research, sharing information and monitoring compliance with international and regional regulatory framework relating to Financial intelligence, AML and CFT, and Piracy funding
xiv. Study and analyse policy frameworks of FIUs in COMESA region with the objective of recommending harmonization and improvements of such frameworks.
xv. Develop concept papers, reports, presentations, briefs, legal and economic opinions to inform decision making in COMESA Financial Intelligence Units.
xvi. Any other assignments assigned to him/her to ensure the accomplishment of the objectives of the Programme on Peace and Security.
Profile of the MASE Coordinator
a) Qualifications and skills
The candidate should possess a Master’s degree from a recognized university in a relevant field such as Economics, International Relations, International Conflict Management, Diplomacy or Security studies, and at least ten years of relevant working experience.

b) Professional Experience
The candidate should have professional experience in Economics, and Security related fields and also demonstrate practical knowledge in legal matters, International Relations and Diplomacy.
The candidate should also be well versed with developmental issues.
An Economic degree should be supported with demonstrated knowledge on security matters where certification on AML, CFT criminology, international relations, Diplomacy, ethics and anti-corruption and economic crime, will be an added advantage.
A Security/International relations or Diplomacy degree should be supported by demonstrated knowledge on economics where a first degree in a business related area will be an added advantage.
The ideal candidate also be conversant with the security, political and economic environment in COMESA member states and have a sound appreciation of all COMESA Programmes.
The candidate should have very strong inter-personal skills, good writing and analytical skills and be conversant with computer software.
(c) Language: The candidate should be conversant with English, Arabic or French while a working knowledge of one of the other languages will be an added advantage.
V. Duration and Location: The MASE Coordinators’ position is for a four-year term and will be based at the COMESA Secretariat in Zambia.
The position will also include travel to COMESA member states.
VI. Reporting: The candidate shall work under the supervision of the Head of Governance Peace and Security.
Additional Information on the Post
1. Type of Contract: COMESA non-established professional staff service contracts. Remuneration will be in accordance with COMESA conditions of service for non-established professional staff.
2. Remuneration: Remuneration will be calculated on the basis of background and professional experience and will be determined according to the level indicated against each post.
3. Terms of appointment: The successful candidate will be contracted for twenty four (24) months renewable up to 14th July 2018 depending on satisfactory performance.
4. Expected time for commencement of services: The successful candidate are expected to commence work in February 2015
5. Legal form for competitors: Only Nationals of countries (ACP and EU) that are signatories to the Cotonou Agreement of 23rd June 2000 are encouraged to apply.
6. Final date for receipt of applications: 19th January 2015
7. Addresses: Applications may be submitted by e-mail or fax using a prescribed form which can be downloaded from COMESA MASE Coordinator Job Vacancy Re-Advertisement 
and E-mail to : recruitment@comesa.int
or fax it:
The Secretary General
COMESA Centre
Ben Bella Road
P O Box 30051
10101 Lusaka
Zambia
Fax: (260 1) 227318
E-mail: recruitment@comesa.int with copies to e-mail address: abinda@comesa.int;
8. Applications should contain the applicant’s Curriculum Vitae, present and permanent address, telephone and fax numbers and e-mail.
The C.V format can be downloaded from the COMESA Website: COMESA MASE Coordinator Job Vacancy Re-Advertisement