TICAD Communications and Engagement Specialist

Contract

This is a UNV International Specialist contract. This kind of contract is known as International UN Volunteer. It is normally internationally recruited only. More about UNV International Specialist contracts.

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.

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

Adaptability and Flexibility Building Trust Client Orientation Communication Creativity Ethics and Values Integrity Knowledge Sharing Managing Performance Planning and Organizing Respect for Diversity Working in Teams

international development
• Working experience in developing countries, preferably in Africa • Familiarity with Japan’s Official Development Assistance

Ethiopia is one of the oldest independent nations in Africa, dating back to about 100 BC. Located in the Horn of Africa, and with a population of 84 million, it is the continent’s third-most-populous country. As a federal parliamentary republic, Ethiopia’s Prime Minister is Head of Government and the President is Head of State. Ethiopia extends over 1.14 million km2, 45% of which is arable land. It is subject to geographical and climatic variations, with its central mountains and plateaus divided by the Great Rift Valley, and surrounding lowlands of desert in the east and tropical forest in the west. Ethiopia has achieved remarkable economic and social progress, particularly over the past decade. Agriculture, mostly rain-fed smallholder farming, was until recently the leading economic sector, and continues to account for around 80% of employment. However, agriculture has in recent years been overtaken by the services sector, in terms of both rate of growth and share of contribution to gross domestic product (GDP). Addis Ababa is the Federal Capital of Ethiopia and a Chartered City, having three layers of Government: City Government at the top 10, Sub City Administrations in the Middle, and 99 Kebele Administrations at the bottom. The city’s average elevation is 2,500 meters above sea level, and hence has a fairly favorable climate and moderate weather conditions. Addis Ababa is the capital city of Ethiopia, the seat of the African Union (AU) and the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA).