Legal Consultant

Result of Service The objective of the Consultancy is to develop the technical and legal content of the draft Regulation for the implementation of the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) in the Dominican Republic, including five of its Annexes, namely, Annex I: Regulations for the Prevention of Pollution by Oil, Annex II: Regulations for the Control of Pollution by Noxious Liquid Substances in Bulk, Annex III: Prevention of Pollution by Harmful Substances Carried by Sea in Packaged Form, Annex IV: Prevention of Pollution by Sewage from Ships, and Annex V: Prevention of Pollution by Garbage from Ships.

Work Location Home-based

Expected duration One (1) year

Duties and Responsibilities Organisation Setting:

The United Nations Environment programme (UNEP) is the United Nations systems designated entity for addressing environmental issues at the global and regional levels. lts mandate is to coordinate the development of global consensus on environmental issues by keeping the environment under review and bringing emerging issues to the attention of governments and the international community for action.

The UNEP Caribbean Environment Programme and Cartagena Convention Secretariat will implement project activities in the Wider Caribbean focused on marine biodiversity, marine pollution and public awareness under the ACP MEA Phase III Programme. The programme Capacity-building related to Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEA) in African, Caribbean and Pacific (ACP) Countries Phase III (ACP MEA) is a joint partnership between the European Union, the Organization of African, Caribbean and Pacific States, United Nations Environment Programme and the Food and Agriculture Organization of the United Nations. The programme aims to build capacity in 79 countries in Africa, Caribbean, and the Pacific to support them in fulfilling their obligations as parties to Multilateral Environmental Agreements to tackle the environmental issues they face.

The purpose of this third phase of the ACP MEAs programme is to enhance the mainstreaming and implementation of MEAs related to biodiversity and chemicals and waste, with a focus on the mainstreaming of biodiversity in agriculture, the management of chemicals and waste (including hazardous pesticides), the reinforcement of compliance and enforcement measures and the strengthening of the implementation of Regional Seas conventions in ACP countries. It will also address ocean governance by supporting the implementation of Regional Seas conventions as regional MEAs, and assist countries that are Parties to MEAs to support decision-making, develop appropriate policies and legislation, as well as monitoring tools, where needed. It will also aim to mobilise non-Party countries to join existing treaties and begin the implementation process.

Under Component 2.1 of the project, the Secretariat of the Cartagena Convention is supporting Contracting Parties in the review, drafting and / or updating of their national policy, legislation and / or regulations for the ratification and / or implementation of the relevant conventions of the International Maritime Organization (IMO), including the MARPOL Convention. The purpose of this consultancy is to provide technical support to the Government of the Dominican Republic as a Contracting Party to the International Convention for the Prevention of Pollution from Ships (MARPOL) for effective implementation of Annexes I, II, III, IV and V of the Convention.

Roles and Responsibilities:

The Consultant will be expected to carry out the following duties:

- Facilitate the drafting of a Regulation for the implementation of the MARPOL Convention in the Dominican Republic, - Engage in ongoing discussions with institutions for supporting the implementation process; - Analyze the draft proposals relating to regulations and their implementation and recommend improvements from a technical and legal perspective; - Review the interrelation of the MARPOL Convention’s Annexes to integrate them into the text of the draft Regulation; - Provide assistance to the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources in the final review of the consolidated draft Regulation of the MARPOL Convention; - Conduct a diagnostic of the existing internal procedures of the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources in order to supports its role in the eventual implementation of the Regulation; - Propose solutions and recommendations for effective implementation of the new Regulation based on the diagnostic analysis of internal procedures.

The consultant will report to the UNEP Cartagena Convention Secretariat and the Ministry of Environment and Natural Resources of the Dominican Republic. Payment will be made by UNEP upon the successful completion and delivery of outputs.

Qualifications/special skills Skills: Ability to provide sound legal advice on the implementation of Multilateral Environmental Agreements. Excellent analytical and organizational skills. Knowledge of environmental issues related to the protection and management of ocean resources. Good understanding of national policies, regulations and the application of obligations under international conventions. Good writing skills. Ability to multi-task and work under pressure. Conscientious and efficient in meeting commitments, observing deadlines and achieving results.

Academic Qualifications: A Bachelor's degree in Law, or other relevant discipline. A Master's degree in Maritime Law or a similar field of study would be an asset. Academic training in shipping operations or related subject is desirable.

Experience: Minimum 5 years of work experience in international law and maritime affairs. Previous experience working with a drafting group to develop Regulations on maritime issues. Proven experience working on the implementation of Multilateral Environmental Agreements, preferably in the Dominican Republic. Experience working with national institutions and stakeholders in the Dominican Republic involved in monitoring and ensuring compliance with obligations under Treaties, International Conventions and/or other relevant legal instruments under international law.

Language: English and French are the two working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, proficiency in oral and written English and Spanish (mother tongue) is required.

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.