RITD/ATPC Consultant - Trade Analyst

Result of Service

1. Contribution to the 2025 Economic Report on Africa has been successfully submitted. 2. Strengthened research capacity of ATPC on trade-related issues, particularly in the areas of digital trade/e-commerce, trade facilitation, and empowerment of women and youth in trade. 3. Enhanced quality and availability of data as well as provide econometric-based results to better assist African member States to design and formulate trade policies. 4. ATPC’s events on trade-related issues have been successfully organized.

Work Location

ECA

Expected duration

6 Months

Duties and Responsibilities

Background The African Trade Policy Centre (ATPC), through the Regional Integration and Trade Division, is a specialized unit within the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA). Its mission is to act as the leading Africa-based Centre of excellence and a continental hub for providing and coordinating technical support for the development of trade policies in Africa. ATPC works with stakeholders at all levels to enhance the implementation of sound national, regional and international trade strategies, policies and programs. The Centre also conducts research to generate and disseminate knowledge on trade and provides policy advice, training and capacity building based on the needs identified by its partners. ATPC is currently executing a Project that focuses on supporting the implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Agreement to boost-intra-African trade. The Agreement establishing the AfCFTA was signed in March 2018, entered into force in May 2019 and the official start of trading under the Agreement was 1 January 2021. The AfCFTA is seen as a key milestone in Africa's integration Agenda. The AfCFTA is expected to be a key engine of economic growth, industrialization and sustainable development in Africa in line with the 2030 Agenda adopted by the United Nations General Assembly, and the African Union (AU) Agenda 2063 for "The Africa We Want". For the AfCFTA to deliver the expected outcomes, priority actions are to be undertaken in the short to medium run. Firstly, the ratification of the AfCFTA by all the African Union (AU) member States is critical. Secondly, there is a need to build on the political momentum behind the AfCFTA to support policy reforms that are aimed at implementing the Agreement. In this regard, the forthcoming Economic report on Africa 2025 whose theme is “Advancing the implementation of the Agreement Establishing the African Continental Free Trade Area: Proposing Transformative Strategic Actions” aims to propose concrete actions for AfCFTA implementation to stimulate industrialization through increased intra-African trade. Recommendations from the report will assist member states to undertake deliberate actions and deploy necessary efforts through effective and integrated national AfCFTA implementation strategies with a view to maximize the benefits of the Agreement while minimizing potential adverse effects. ATPC has been playing a key role in support of the AU and its member States to successfully conclude negotiations on issues from Phase I (on trade in goods and trade in services) and Phase II (on investment, intellectual property rights, competition policy, digital trade/e-commerce and women and youth in trade) and their implementation. In this respect, ATPC produces high-quality research on all issues at the heart of the AfCFTA process to facilitate decisions by the member States and ensure help maximize the expected benefits from the AfCFTA. It is in this context that the ECA, through ATPC, proposes to recruit a trade analyst to carry out a variety of research-related tasks to support the substantive work of the Centre on trade policy issues, including but not limited to digital trade, trade facilitation, empowerment of women and youth in trade, and trade policy analysis more generally. Duties & Responsibilities Under the overall guidance of the Director, Regional Integration and Trade Division, and the direct supervision of the Coordinator of the African Trade Policy Centre, the consultant will work closely with the Project Officer and any other person assigned by ECA. The tasks to be performed by the consultant include: 1. Contribute to the 2025 Economic Report on Africa (ERA); 2. Provide research support to the ATPC team, including but not limited to issues related to digital trade, trade policy analysis, trade facilitation, and empowerment of women and youth in trade; 3. Collect, compile and analyse data on trade-related issues as well as perform econometric analysis; 4. Provide support with planning, organization and servicing of events (including trainings/courses) in relation to trade; and 5. Assist with any other ad-hoc request.

Qualifications/special skills

Advanced university degree (Master's degree or above) in Economics, Trade, Foreign Affairs or related fields is required. Minimum Five (5) years of experience in research or/and analysis, preferably in the areas of trade, is required. Experience working in Africa with knowledge of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is also required. Experience on trade facilitation and women or youth in trade is desirable. Experience in trade policy analysis, including using econometric models, is an advantage.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this post, fluency in English is required while full professional proficiency in French is desirable.

Additional Information

Not available.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.