Communication Officer

Result of Service - Nairobi Process webpage created and maintained on the EAC website; - Continuous social media presence on the Nairobi Process ensured; - Working schedule developed for information-sharing, communication, and education or public awareness activities on the Process; - Midterm and final reports.

Work Location Arusha, United Republic of Tanzania.

Expected duration Six (6) months with the possibility of renewal depending on the availability of funds and satisfactory performance.

Duties and Responsibilities The insecurity in Eastern Democratic Republic of the Congo (DRC) pre-dates 1994 and was escalated when the then defeated Army of the Republic of Rwanda retreated into the dense forests of Eastern DRC where they regrouped to cause instability in Rwanda.

The security challenges in Eastern DRC have over time acquired two dimensions namely:

a) The Internal: this pertains to governance failures that include weak state capacity to protect citizens that has consequently led to proliferation of a number of communal security arrangements sprung up mainly to protect themselves from the invaders who were well known for committing various forms of Human Rights abuses. b) The External: this primarily pertains to violence that has been imported into Eastern DRC by combatants fleeing neighboring countries that include the ADF, FLDR among others. In 2012/13, 35 armed groups were known to operate in Eastern DRC. Since then, these have morphed into 142 local armed groups with presence in the North and South Kivu provinces. South Kivu alone has 64 groups of which 23 are splinter groups of Raia Mutomboki. There are also non-Congolese terrorist groups that include FDLR, Red Tabara, LRA and ADF that are known to plan terrorist and destabilization activities against a number of EAC Partner States.

The resultant effect has been displacement of local populations, killings and promotion of negative ethnicity, illicit exploitation and trafficking of natural resources, use of sex and gender-based violence as a tool of war, exportation of insecurity into neighboring states among others. The situation has thus undermined human development and security in an area with great potential for prosperity and does not augur well for expanded regional integration.

At its 22nd Ordinary meeting held on 22nd July 2022, the EAC Summit of Heads of State: 1.1 Decided to mainstream the Nairobi Process fully into the EAC by invoking the provisions of Article 4 of the EAC Protocol on Peace and Security; 1.2 Appointed H.E. Uhuru Kenyatta as Facilitator/Champion to oversee the implementation of the Nairobi Process as provided for in the modality for the establishment and functioning of the EAC Panel of Eminent Persons and for the deployment of Special Envoys/Representatives; 1.3 Approved the Terms of Reference for the EAC Facilitator; 1.4 Directed that a Special Fund be established to support the implementation of the process; and 1.5 Decided to expeditiously deploy a Joint Regional Force in the Eastern Democratic Republic of Congo.

Therefore, all decisions of the three Eastern Africa Heads of States conclaves held on 8th April 2022, 21st April 2022 and 20th June 2022 became decisions of the EAC Summit of Heads of State, all parties to the Nairobi process being EAC Partner States. The outcome of these decisions and effective implementation therein requires coordination by the EAC Secretariat hence the necessity to establish a dedicated coordination office to support the work of the Facilitator.

The Communication Officer will perform the following functions: - Develop and maintain a webpage on the EAC website on the Nairobi Process; - Ensure dissemination of communications, as approved by the EAC Facilitator, as needed; - Maintain social media presence, as may be approved by the EAC Facilitator on continuous basis; - Provide IT support to the office of the Facilitator; - Support continuous sharing of information with the EAC Partner States on the Nairobi Process on regular basis; - Support the Coordinator in provision of administrative support to the Nairobi Process; - Ensure proper documentation and maintenance of records of all aspects of the Nairobi Process; - In consultation with the Strategic Communications Office of the Process Facilitator and the EAC Corporate Communications Office: - Review the current status of public awareness, information sharing and communication activities on the Nairobi Process(es); - Design and develop a working schedule for information sharing, communication and education or public awareness activities on the processes; - Provide professional services in developing information and communication materials and networking with the broad spectrum of stakeholders to promote positive awareness of the EAC Peace and Security Agenda in the Eastern DRC. - Perform any other duties, as required.

Qualifications/special skills Advanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in Political Science, International Relations, Management or Development, or a related field is required. A first level university degree with a combination of two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree in Communications, Social Science, Business Studies or a related field is required. A minimum of 5 years of progressively responsible experience in communications at international or regional level required; Experience working in the Great Lakes region required; Experience in creating media campaigns is required; Experience in website management is required; Experience in data analysis and visualization is required; Proficiency in R Statistical Programming and Phyton is required; Experience working for a regional organization is desirable; Experience in preparing speeches and briefs for senior officials is desirable.

Languages English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in English is required (oral and written).

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.