Consultant on strategies to implement the 2030 Agenda in Ethiopia

Strengthening the capacity of least developed countries to develop evidence-based, coherent and well-financed strategies to implement the 2030 Agenda

United Nations Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA)

1. Background and objectives

DESA is carrying out a project on “Strengthening the capacity of least developed countries to develop evidence-based, coherent and well-financed strategies to implement the 2030 Agenda”. The project supports three areas where Voluntary National Reviews (VNRs), in which countries analyse their progress to implement the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), have consistently identified gaps in national capacity:

1. Mainstreaming the SDGs in national policies, priorities, programmes and budgets;

2. Mobilizing financial resources for implementation;

3. Accessing appropriate data to assess, review and report on progress.

The project is being implemented in four least developed countries (LDCs) – Bangladesh, Ethiopia, Lao PDR and Tanzania – in collaboration with the UN Regional Commissions and UN Country Teams. Training and advisory services under the project aim to assist participating countries to:

• analyze inter-linkages, synergies and trade-offs between policy options using a variety of methodologies as appropriate, such as systemic analysis, quantitative modelling tools, and multi-stakeholder approaches;

• strengthen inter-ministerial, multi-sectoral and multi-stakeholder institutional arrangements and coordination, including to enhance stakeholders’ capacity for meaningful engagement;

• identify key barriers to mobilizing resources from domestic and international sources for SDG implementation;

• increase understanding of various domestic resource mobilization tools as well as international support measures;

• assess the status of national monitoring and evaluation frameworks;

• monitor and review progress towards SDG goals and targets based on national indicator frameworks;

• modernize national statistical infrastructure to facilitate the use of innovative technologies for data collection, processing, analysis and dissemination.

Ethiopia presented a Voluntary National Review (VNR) in 2017. Ethiopia’s second five-year Growth and Transformation Plan (GTP-II) comes to an end in 2020, as does the UN Development Assistance Framework (UNDAF), and the analysis and planning processes to replace these instruments are underway. The Ethiopia Planning and Development Commission (PDC) is responsible to coordinate and prepare the national development plan and monitor and review progress. According to the 2017 VNR, all executive organs of the federal government, the regional states and city administrations implement the SDGs as an integral part of GTP-II.

This objective of this consultancy is to ensure project activities are well grounded in national priorities and targeted at key stages of the national planning process, so that DESA’s expertise and programmes can best help strengthen integration of the SDGs and targets in national plans. The consultancy also aims to ensure effective coordination between DESA, the government, the UN Country Team, the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) and other important partners in Ethiopia.

B. Work assignment

Specifically, the work assignment will involve the following:

1. Refine the DESA work plan for support to Ethiopia, in consultation with DESA staff and through communication with government counterparts such as the Planning and Development Commission as well as the UN Country Team, ECA and other development partners in-country—by 31 January 2020 (project reference A1.1).

2. Facilitate up to two scoping or advisory missions involving DESA staff to Ethiopia (tentatively a mission on financing the Sustainable Development Goals, and a Mainstreaming, Acceleration and Policy Support (MAPS) mission), including by providing inputs to the mission programme and background documents, helping ensure the missions respond to national priorities, organizing meetings with national counterparts and assisting with logistical arrangements, and providing input to the mission reports and plans for follow up—by 30 June 2020 (project references A1.1 and A3.1).

3. Support up to three national workshops organized by DESA and partners in the country, including by providing inputs to the agenda and other background documents, helping ensure the workshops are in line with and contribute to national priorities, making relevant national stakeholders aware of the workshops and providing information to encourage their participation, assisting with logistical arrangements, facilitating workshop sessions and conducting training sessions as needed, and providing input to the workshop reports and plans for follow-up—by 30 June 2020 (project references A1.2 and A3.2).

4. Assist in coordinating any DESA input needed for the Common Country Analysis (CCA) and UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Framework (UNSDCF) processes in Ethiopia—by 30 June 2020 (project reference A1.2).

5. Report (max 1,000 words) every 2 months throughout the consultancy duration highlighting important new developments in the country relating to implementation of the 2030 Agenda. These reports should include any new developments relating to the following points:

a. National efforts to draft an integrated national development plan, or policy notes or plans being developed that are based on cross-sectoral analysis of key Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) and targets;

b. Strengthened institutional coordination mechanisms to support cross-sectoral policy analysis on key SDG targets;

c. Policies and other initiatives to strengthen or institutionalize multi-stakeholder engagement in the development planning process and national efforts to implement the 2030 Agenda;

d. National resource mobilization policies or plans linked with financing the SDGs;

e. Improvements in multi-stakeholder mechanisms to design, monitor, evaluate and update national indicator frameworks;

f. Improved strategies to communicate and disseminate data and information in the country on progress towards the 2030 Agenda oriented to policy makers, the business community, civil society and the general public, and in support of public-private dialogue.

Every 2 months throughout the contract duration (project reference A1.2).

C. Duration of contract

The contract will run from 6 January 2020, or the date of its signature by both parties, until 30 June 2020 (involving an estimated 70 work days).

D. Duty Station or Location of assignment

The consultant should be based in Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The consultancy will be home based.

E. Travel

No international or national travel is envisaged under this consultancy.

F. Expected outputs and delivery dates

• Updated work plan for DESA support to Ethiopia based on feedback from national counterparts – by 31 January 2020

• Two missions supported – by 30 June 2020

• Up to three workshops supported – by 30 June 2020

• DESA input to the CCA and UNSDCF processes – by 30 June 2020

• Regular bimonthly reports on national planning process in Ethiopia – by 28 February, 30 April and 30 June 2020

G. Fees and payment schedule

The consultant fee would correspond to UN consultancy rates in Ethiopia. The fee would be paid in two instalments as follows:

• 50% on completion of activity 1, as well as support to one mission under activity 2 and two workshops under activity 3;

• 50% on completion of all remaining activities under the contract.

H. Performance indicators

· Range and frequency of contacts with different stakeholders in the country, degree to which in-country contacts are handled diplomatically and quality of information provided to DESA colleagues on new developments in the country

· Quality of support to meetings and missions (organization, facilitation, training)

· Degree to which reports are reader-friendly, concise, clearly structured and written

· Ability to reflect feedback

· Timeliness of delivery of outputs

I. Qualifications and experience

Advanced university degree in development studies, economics, international relations, public administration, or a related field with seven (7) years of experience. A bachelor’s degree and two additional years of experience may be accepted in lieu of an advanced degree. The consultant should have a good knowledge of national planning processes in Ethiopia and the landscape of development partners in the country. Knowledge of the Sustainable Development Goals and national efforts to implement them is strongly preferred. Technical expertise in one or more areas related to DESA’s work (such as economics or statistics) is preferred. Full command of spoken and written English is required.

J. Supervisor/project manager

The consultant shall report to Mr. Charles Davies, Programme Management Officer, Capacity Development Programme Management Office (CDPMO), DESA.

The consultant shall be provided with an additional point of contact in the Resident Coordinator’s Office in Ethiopia.

Applications should include a brief cover letter, explaining how the applicant’s qualifications and experience meet the consultancy requirements, as well as a curriculum vitae (CV). Applications should be submitted by email to davies6@un.org, by 5pm New York time on 11 December 2019.