Result of Service

The objective of this consultancy will be to follow up on existing activities included in the SIDS portfolio, especially the GCF-NAP project in Sao Tomé and Principe. The consultant will support the implementation of the National Adaptation Plan project, through overseeing CityRAP implementation in the seven provinces composing the country. In addition, the consultant will act as a focal point for urban resilience, disaster risk management and climate adaptation matters in African SIDS. He or she will support the organization of a workshop to improve best practice circulation in these countries. He or she will also support the implementation of CityRAP in Comoros. The consultant will realize missions to the countries to support project implementation on the ground.

Work Location

Homebased

Expected duration

6 months

Duties and Responsibilities

BACKGROUND AND JUSTIFICATION The six small island developing states (SIDS) in Africa, namely Comoros, Mauritius, Seychelles, Cabo Verde, Sao Tomé and Principe, and Guinea-Bissau, share common vulnerabilities that make them highly susceptible to the negative impacts of climate change. These vulnerabilities include limited land area, remoteness, limited resources and export activities, exposure to environmental and economic shocks, and high levels of disaster risk. Slow onset events like sea-level rise, coastal flooding, and salinization of coastal aquifers, together with extreme weather events like increasing cyclonic activity, pose a complex and multi-tiered risk to these countries, leading to several threats including habitat contraction, changes in the location of coastal species, and loss of biodiversity. Added to that, SIDS are highly reliant on natural resources for economic activities, such as agriculture, fishing, and tourism, making them disproportionately affected by climate change-induced phenomena. Disaster risk reduction and climate adaptation measures are thus crucial for SIDS. An integrated and inclusive approach to adaptation planning and implementation is critical for effective climate action in these countries. At the regional level, and with the aim of supporting city management authorities and local government on climate adaptation and disaster preparedness issues, UN-Habitat, through its Regional Office for Africa (ROAf), has designed and implemented several tools oriented towards resilience building and climate adaptation. The City Resilience Action Planning (CityRAP) is one of them. The objective of this participatory urban resilience planning methodology is to help local governments of secondary cities assessing the resilience status of their cities in order to understand risks and plan practical actions to progressively build urban resilience. Other participatory methodologies have also proven efficient to help urban stakeholders deal with pressing challenges related to climate change, and to raise awareness among communities. More specifically, UN-Habitat, together with its international and domestic partners, has developed and implemented several initiatives aimed at strengthening resilience in the six African SIDS. Under the umbrella of a regional portfolio of work on disaster risk reduction, climate change adaptation and urban resilience in African SIDS, several projects are currently being conducted and needing support: • In Sao Tomé and Principe, UN-Habitat is participating as an implementing partner to the implementation of a UNEP-led project: “Reduce Sao Tomé and Principe’s vulnerability to climate change impacts by strengthening the Country’s capacity to implement an integrated approach to adaptation planning.” Funded by the Green Climate Fund, this project’s main objective is the elaboration of a National Adaptation Plan, to strengthen the country’s capacity to face climate change challenges. In this context, UN-Habitat is responsible for the implementation of the local component, involving the elaboration of Local Adaptation Plans in the seven districts or regions composing the country. In concrete terms, this will involve the realization of simultaneous CityRAP exercises in the six districts composing the island of Sao Tomé, and in the Autonomous region of Principe. This CityRAP implementation will be adapted to fit into the project’s goals, and further integrate adaptation stakes. It should end up in the realization of seven Local Adaptation Plans, which will feed into the National Adaptation Strategy to be prepared in parallel. • The Development Account project “Strengthened Capacities of African, Caribbean and Pacific SIDS for Green, Resilient and Pro-poor Pandemic Recovery” (DA14) aims to build capacity for green, resilient, and pro-poor recovery in SIDS, with a focus on informal settlements. In Africa, the project has been implemented in Comoros and Sao Tomé and Principe to provide technical assistance for integrating resilience and recovery planning. In the two countries, the program has reached its concluding phase, but some regional and global outputs, including the organization of a regional SIDS workshop for best practice exchanges, will be implemented before the end of 2024. • In Comoros, UN-Habitat is also involved in several initiatives, working with other international organizations such as the World Bank, but also NGOs like Oxfam, and its local and national partners, especially the Ministry of Territorial Planning, Urbanism, Land Tenure and Transport. In the framework of a sub-regional initiative entitled “Building Climate Urban Resilience in South-Eastern Africa”, CityRAP is currently being implemented in two localities. Apart from these projects, UN-Habitat is also exploring partnerships opportunities to reach transformative impact and increase its capacity to assist governments and communities, thus contributing to the consolidation of resilience and climate adaptation in the six African SIDS. DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES Under the overall supervision of the Senior Human Settlements Officer at the Regional Office for Africa (ROAf), the consultant will carry out the following duties and responsibilities: • Contribute with technical assistance and coordination to the implementation of phase 2 of the CityRAP tool in Sao Tomé and Principe under the UNEP/ GCF project • Tailor CityRAP material for phases 3 and 4, to reflect the objectives and scale of the project. • Contribute with administrative assistance and coordination to the project in Sao Tome and Principe • Contribute to the implementation of phase 3 in Sao Tomé and Principe, through an international mission • Contribute to the elaboration of seven phase 3 CityRAP reports in Sao Tomé and Principe • Contribute with technical assistance to the preparation of phase 4 of the CityRAP tool in Sao Tomé and Principe under the UNEP/ GCF project • Contribute to the implementation of phase 3 of the CityRAP tool in Comoros remotely or through an international mission

Qualifications/special skills

Masters degree in urban development, environmental studies, sustainable development or equivalent is required. Minimum 3 year of working experience in strategic planning, urban planning, project management, international development or related fields is required. Familiarity with the concepts of urban resilience, climate change adaptation/ mitigation and DRR is required. Previous working experience with SIDS is desirable. Previous working experience with Sao Tomé and Principe is desirable.

Languages

French and English are the two working languages of the United Nations. For this job opening, fluency in English and Portuguese is required.

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.