Ref.
2026/IHLCBOBP/14908
Job offer type
Experts
Type of contract
Service contract
Estimated budget
The mission can be carried out remotely
Activity sectors
Culture and heritage
Deadline date
2026/03/22 23:59
Duration of the assignment
Beaded expertise
Contract
Freelancer
Duration
8 weeks
International Heritage Law Consultant - Benchmark of best practices (M/W)
Departement Economie Durable et Inclusive - EDIN > Pôle Attractivité des territoires, Culture et Patrimoine
Published on : 2026/02/27
SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
SOMALIA
HARGEISA -
Mission description
Expertise France is looking to hire an international expert in law and heritage to conduct a benchmark of international and regional best practices in heritage legislations. The international expert will work in close collaboration and as a binome with a local legal expert, selected by Expertise France, to ensure both international best practice and local legal relevance.
Objectives and desired results :
General objective :
- To produce a comparative analysis of selected national heritage laws and derive practical recommendations to inform Somaliland’s framework law on heritage and archaeology.
Anticipated results :
- A comparative analysis report of 3–5 national heritage laws, highlighting relevant provisions and lessons for Somaliland, including sections on financing of management, preservation, and maintenance of heritage and archaeological sites (in English).
- A policy brief (maximum 4 pages) summarising key recommendations for Somaliland’s framework law, including recommendations on financing mechanisms, tailored for the Ministry of Trade and Tourism, the National Museum and parliamentarians.
Description of the assignment :
Planned activities :
The international expert will:
- Identify 3–5 relevant national heritage laws (e.g. Kenya, Tunisia, Egypt, and/or other Horn of Africa countries) in consultation with the contracting authority and the local expert.
- Analyse and compare key provisions relevant to Somaliland, including at minimum: legal status and definitions of heritage, ownership and custodianship, protection measures and penalties, roles of national and local authorities, community rights and participation, and procedures for archaeological research and permits.
- Analyse how selected comparator countries finance the management, preservation, and maintenance of heritage and archaeological sites (e.g. state budget lines, earmarked taxes/fees, public–private partnerships, tourism revenues, donor funding), and highlight mechanisms that could be adapted to the Somaliland context.
- Work closely with the local expert to interpret the implications of these provisions for the Somaliland context.
- Draft a short policy brief (maximum 4 pages) tailored to the Ministry of Trade and Tourism (MoTT), National Museum (NM), and parliamentarians, summarising the main comparative findings and key recommendations for Somaliland’s framework law.
- Participate in regular online coordination meetings with the local expert, MoTT/NM, and the project team.
Anticipated deliverables :
|
Deliverables |
End date |
|
Work plan and division of tasks with the local expert |
T0 + 1 week |
|
Detailed report outline |
TO + 3 weeks |
|
Comparative analysis report of 3–5 national heritage laws |
T0 + 6 weeks |
|
Policy brief |
T0 + 6 weeks |
|
Restitution workshop (online) and ptt presentation |
T0 + 8 weeks |
Coordination and binome working arrangement :
The international expert will work as part of a binome with the local legal expert, sharing information and drafts on a regular basis via remote collaboration tools.
Roles are complementary: the international expert brings comparative and international standards expertise, while the local expert ensures alignment with Somaliland’s legal system, institutions, and political context.
A brief joint workplan and division of tasks will be agreed at the start of the assignment.
Project or context description
The Protection and Promotion of Somaliland’s Heritage project, implemented by Expertise France in partnership with the Government of Somaliland and financed by AFD, aims to safeguard and valorize Somaliland’s exceptional archaeological and cultural heritage while contributing to sustainable local development, with a particular focus on the Laas Geel rock art site and other priority locations. Within Component A on technical assistance for heritage protection, the project supports the Ministry of Trade and Tourism and other national institutions to strengthen policies, legal tools, and institutional capacities necessary for long‑term heritage management, documentation, and community engagement. The present assignment fits into this framework by providing specialised legal expertise to review and consolidate the draft heritage and archaeology law so that it effectively underpins sustainable protection, management, and financing of heritage sites and aligns with international best practices.
Somaliland urgently needs a dedicated heritage and archaeology law to respond to growing threats such as looting, unregulated development, and the loss of irreplaceable archaeological and cultural sites, to ensure the sustainable management and valorization of heritage sites, and to regulate the management and supervision of foreign and national scientific missions. A draft heritage law has already been developed by Horn Heritage and submitted to the government in 2022, but it has not been approved yet. In order In order to move forward with the legislative process, the Ministry of Trade and Tourism and Expertise France agreed to conduct a technical review to ensure alignment with international standards, and adaptation to current institutional and financial realities. The first activity will consist of a benchmark of best practices drawn from comparable national heritage legislations to inform the revision.
Expertise France is therefore looking to hire an international expert in law and heritage to conduct the benchmark of international and regional best practices in heritage legislations. The international expert will work in close collaboration and as a binome with a local legal expert, selected by Expertise France, to ensure both international best practice and local legal relevance.
Required profile
Required expertise and profile
- Number of experts per assignment: 1
Profile of the designated expert :
- Advanced university degree in law, heritage management, archaeology, or related field.
- At least 10 years of professional experience in cultural heritage law, archaeology law, or related legislation, preferably including advisory work for governments.
- Proven experience in drafting or reviewing heritage/archaeology legislation or policies in at least two countries.
- Strong knowledge of international standards in the field of cultural heritage (e.g. UNESCO conventions, regional instruments).
- Experience working in or on the Horn of Africa, North Africa, or comparable contexts is an asset.
- Excellent oral and drafting skills in English.
Additional information
Location: home-based
Estimated Start date: 06/04/2026
Estimated End date: 05/06/2026
Effective duration per assignment: estimation of 15 working days, spread over 8 weeks
Coordination :
The service provider shall act as the single point of contact for the implementation of the project.
The Project Manager based in Hargeisa, shall be the service provider’s contact person for Expertise France.
A kick-off meeting shall be held no later than five (5) days after notification of the contract.
Close coordination with Expertise France teams in Hargeisa and headquarters must be established from the preparation of the assignment through to its completion. In addition, regular exchanges with the project manager shall be planned regarding the progress of the assignment and any difficulties encountered. The service provider shall liaise directly with Expertise France to develop the required deliverables, taking into account the comments and requirements expressed. Several rounds of exchanges between the service provider and the Project Manager are expected in order to incorporate feedback from all project partners.
Application
Interested candidates are invited to submit:
- A technical proposal (max. 3 pages) outlining understanding of the assignment, proposed methodology, and indicative workplan.
- A financial proposal with daily fee rate and estimated number of days.
- A recent CV and at least two references for similar assignments
Selection criteria for applications
The selection process for candidates will be based on the following criteria :
- Candidate’s skills linked with the expert mission
- Candidate’s experiences linked with the expert mission
- Candidate’s expected linguistic understanding
- Assessment of the candidate's skills in the sought-after domain
- Candidate's knowledges related to local context (country or region intervention)
- Candidate’s understanding of cooperation project stakes
- Candidate’s understanding of the mission’s role in the cooperation project
Deadline for application : 2026/03/22 23:59
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.