Ref.
2025/EFTDOTDFTDTPTD/13508
Job offer type
Experts
Type of contract
Service contract
Activity sectors
Business facilitation and regional integration
Deadline date
2025/07/13 23:55
Duration of the assignment
Beaded expertise
Contract
Freelancer
Duration
100 working days for a period of 1 year
Framework Agreement for Digital Trade Expert - ECOTRADE (M/W)
Departement Economie Durable et Inclusive - EDIN > Pôle - Politiques Economiques et Commerciales
Published on : 2025/07/09
SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
ETHIOPIA
ADDIS ABABA
Mission description
General objective : To provide technical assistance in the preparation and implementation of interventions related to the implementation of the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol (DTP) under the ECOTRADE Project.
Specific objectives:
- Articulate the context and rationale for digital trade support in Ethiopia
- Define clear objectives aligned with the AfCFTA DTP and national digital transformation agenda
- Develop technical reports in preparing for the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol to be implemented under the ECOTRADE Project (propose a theory of change and a clear implementation strategy)
- Provide technical assistance in the development of digital trade related services (for example development and maintenance of web portals, mobile applications, etc.) that contributes to strengthening trade promotion for AfCFTA markets
- Develop a program of activities and identify relevant institutional and stakeholders
- Address cross-cutting issues (gender, environment, inclusivity, data protection)
- Develop a logical framework matrix with outputs, indicators, and assumptions
- Present a risk mitigation strategy for digital trade implementation
Methodology and Tasks:
- Examine the pertinent documentation that will be shared prior to the start of the assignment:
- The Description of Action (DoA) for the ECOTRADE project
- The Project's Concept Note
- The Project's Activity Plan
- Participate in an Inception/Introductory meeting (aimed at providing context and further guidelines) and relevant stakeholders
- Map national digital strategies, AfCFTA DTP priorities, and institutional gaps
- Propose a set of technically feasible and impact-driven activities
- Align proposed interventions with EU Global Gateway, AfCFTA frameworks, and national strategies
- Ensure consistency with Expertise France and EU implementation guidelines
- Hold intermittent meetings with ECOTRADE, where required, to track progress of work
Project or context description
The ECOTRADE Project is a four-year initiative (2025–2029) funded by the European Union and implemented by Expertise France. It supports Ethiopia's implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), with a focus on strengthening institutional capacity, promoting private-sector-led regional value chains, and supporting knowledge systems.
In February 2024, the AfCFTA Secretariat adopted the Digital Trade Protocol (DTP), establishing a legal framework for enabling cross-border e-commerce, paperless trade, digital payments, and harmonized digital regulations across Africa. Ethiopia has shown strong readiness for digital transformation, evidenced by its Digital Ethiopia 2025 strategy and recent investments in AI, fintech, e-government services, and trade platforms. Ethiopia ratified the AfCFTA Agreement in 2019 as a founding State Party and actively engaged in negotiations, including the development of the DTP, which was adopted in February 2024.
The country is among the prepared member states for AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol (DTP) implementation, with a proactive national digital transformation strategy, Digital Ethiopia 2025, in its digital sector. This strategy was launched in June 2020 to digitalize the economy by 2025 and integrate technology across sectors, with digital trade facilitated by platforms like e-trade, e-procurement, e-services, and ease-of-doing-business portals. Over 130 services across 25 government institutions have been digitalized, boosting efficiency in trade-related processes (MiNT, 2025). Similarly, in June 2024, Ethiopia’s Council of Ministers approved the country’s first strategy for implementing Artificial Intelligence (AI) across various sectors. This surge highlights the critical role of digitalization in shaping the nation’s economic future, driven by advancements in telecommunications, fintech, e-commerce, and public service delivery.
In line with this, the ECOTRADE Project is expanding its scope to include a fifth strategic objective: Support to the implementation of the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol in Ethiopia. To this end, Expertise France seeks to recruit a qualified Digital Trade Expert to develop a comprehensive Description of Action (DoA) for this complementary action, in close alignment with national strategies, AfCFTA provisions, and EU priorities under the Global Gateway.
Required profile
Qualifications and skills:
- Advanced degree in Economics, International Trade, Digital Policy, ICT, or a related field
- Strong communication, analytical, and report writing skills
- Proficiency in English is essential
- Excellent qualities/capacities in:
- Communication
- Teamwork and interpersonal skills
- Knowledge transfer
- Analysis and reporting
- Problem identification and resolution
- Decision-making and taking initiatives
General professional experience:
- At least 5 years of experience in trade policy, digital economy, or international development
- Familiarity of the Ethiopian economy and the AFCFTA Digital Trade Protocol is essential
Specific professional experience:
- Track record in designing project documents or Description of Actions (DoAs) for EU or donor-funded programmes
- Practical experience with logframe development, theory of change, and strategic planning
- Understanding of digital governance, cross-border data flows, e-commerce, and paperless trade systems
- Experience in integrating gender, youth and environmental considerations in project design
Additional information
Required documents are the following:
- CV
- Cover letter
The expert will work under the direct supervision of Mrs. Meron Dagnew, Team Leader of the ECOTRADE Project. This will be the service provider’s sole contact person for Expertise France.
Coordination with the Ministry of Trade and Regional Integration (MoTRI), Digital Transformation Institutions (e.g.,MiNT), and other stakeholders may be required.
Anticipated deliverables:
|
Deliverables |
Estimated End date |
|
1. Submission of Inception Report
|
3 days |
|
2. Submission of Technical Reports for the implementation of the AfCFTA Digital Trade Protocol under the ECOTRADE Project
|
15 days |
|
3. Submission of Technical Reports to guide the development of digital trade related services (developments of web portals, mobile apps, etc.)
|
15 days |
|
4. Submission of Technical Reports on digital trade related themes (including development of digital trade strategies for regional value-chains, SMEs, women-led business, Special Economic Zones, etc.)
|
30 days |
|
5. Developing training manuals and guides and delivering capacity building interventions on Digital Trade
|
30 days |
|
6. Submission of Final Reports (including post-workshop reports) |
7 days |
Note:
a. The above Deliverables are indicative. Specific Deliverables with actual deadlines will be indicated in respective Purchase Orders that will be issued for each assignment
b. All deliverables must be submitted in English and follow the EU’s standard format for project documents (templates will be shared)
Selection criteria for applications
The selection process for candidates will be based on the following criteria :
- Candidate’s training/skills/experience
- Candidate’s training/diplomas related to the expert assignment
- Candidate’s experiences linked with the expert mission
- Candidate's knowledges related to local context (country or region intervention)
- Candidate’s understanding of cooperation project stakes
Deadline for application : 2025/07/13 23:55
Expertise France is the public agency for designing and implementing international technical cooperation projects. The agency operates around four key priorities :
- democratic, economic, and financial governance ;
- peace, stability, and security ;
- climate, agriculture, and sustainable development ;
- health and human development ;
In these areas, Expertise France conducts capacity-building initiatives and manages project implementation, leveraging technical expertise and acting as a project coordinator. This involves combining public sector expertise with private sector skills to drive impactful results.