TICAD Communications and Engagement Specialist

Details

Mission and objectives

UNDP has operated in Ethiopia since 1981. Since then, UNDP has focused on providing Ethiopia with strategic support to build national capacity and enhance the country’s development results in the areas of poverty reduction and economic growth, democratic governance as well as climate resilient development. UNDP is currently assisting the Government of Ethiopia (GoE) to overcome its structural challenges as it strives to become a democratic, peaceful and prosperous middle-income country. It supports a successful transition to democratic governance, address drivers of conflict to consolidate and build peace, foster enabling conditions for expanded job creation by the private sector (especially SMEs) and accelerate the transition to a green economy resilient to climate change. Gender equality and women’s empowerment are embedded across all areas of work. Among many other projects, UNDP has been implementing a project entitled ‘Livelihood recovery and peace building support for communities affected by COVID-19, desert locust, flood and conflict in Oromia and SNNP Regions (short name: Gedeo-Guji Project)’, financed by Government of Japan, Funding Window and UNDP TRAC resources. The project strengthens the communities affected by multiple disasters such as COVID-19, desert locusts, floods and conflict in Oromia and SNNP Regional States. It aims for people, particularly women and youth, be able to rebuild their livelihoods, enjoy improved access to basic services, benefit from improved resilience livelihood opportunities, live in a peaceful environment, and to contribute their voices in an effort to improve local governance systems and all democratic processes.

Context

With the extensive network of Country Offices, expertise in key development areas such as Poverty Eradication and Inclusive Growth, Good Governance, Environment and Climate Change, Crisis Prevention and Recovery, and Gender, as well as the integrator role for UN development assistance, UNDP has been partnering with the Government of Japan to support and enhance the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD), initiated in 1993, as one of the key forum for the advancement of dialogue and collaboration on African development. UNDP, as one of the co-organizers of TICAD along with Japan, UN-Office of Special Adviser on Africa (OSAA), the World Bank and African Union Commission (AUC), has hosted a Special Unit for TICAD, which has been progressively integrated into the UNDP Regional Bureau of Africa (RBA) with a view to enhancing integrated UNDP support for the TICAD process. Through the Special Unit for TICAD, UNDP has consistently supported the successful expansion and evolution of the TICAD process and provided critical support in all relevant areas, including strategic, substantive, programmatic, technical and operational. Since the first TICAD welcomed 1,000 participants in Tokyo in 1993, TICAD has steadily grown into a major global platform for African development. TICAD VI was the first TICAD summit held in Africa (Nairobi, Kenya), brought together 11,000 high level participants, the largest ever recorded. Since then, two follow-up Ministerial meetings were held respectively in Maputo, Mozambique in August 2017 and in Tokyo, Japan in October 2018. UNDP’s contributions to this success, including the critical role it played to ensure the success of TICAD VI, are highly appreciated by wide-ranging stakeholders. The successful TICAD7 co-organized by the Government of Japan, AUC, UNOSAA, World Bank and UNDP, that closed on the 30th August 2019 in Yokohama showcased the consolidation of partnerships between Japan and African countries. Japan welcomed around 10,000 representatives from 53 African Union Member States, including 42 Heads of States, regional and international organizations, the private sectors of both Africa and Japan, parliamentarians, civil society organizations and development partners from around the world. Building upon TICAD7 key achievements, the 8th TICAD is scheduled to be held in Tunisia in August 2022.

Task description

The UN Volunteer will be outposted to the Regional Service Center (Ethiopia) of the UNDP Africa Bureau under the direction and supervision of both the TICAD Unit and the Regional Service Center. Through the dispatch of the UN Volunteer to the UNDP Regional Service Center for Africa, the partnerships among UNDP, Japan, and African stakeholders including the AUC, which is indispensable for the sustainable operationalization of the TICAD process, is expected to be strengthened. The UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks:  Contribute to planning and implementation of TICAD 8 follow-up projects which are implemented with TICAD partners from Japan and other countries, mainly the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and JICA as well as the African Union Commission (AUC).  Perform as a liaison with the AUC and strengthen communication and coordination with partners in Africa in the context of TICAD  Perform as a liaison with the Permanent Mission of Japan to AUC and strengthen communication and coordination for enhanced visibility and partnership  Contribute to translation of relevant documents from English to Japanese i.e. newsletters, social networking sites, and publications from the TICAD Unit.  Disseminate information and knowledge management products on TICAD to stakeholders in Africa, obtain their feedback and reflect them into the planning stage of publications by UNDP  Collect, analyze and report periodically news and articles related to TICAD in African media  Assist in preparation of speaking summaries, presentation materials, minutes, etc. for related meetings and events organized at TICAD unit and RSCA in connection with the TICAD process