Ref.
2026/LLHE/15064
Job offer type
Experts
Type of contract
Service contract
Activity sectors
Culture and heritage
Deadline date
2026/03/26 23:59
Duration of the assignment
Short term
Contract
Freelancer
Duration
8 weeks
Local legal heritage expert (M/W)
Departement Economie Durable et Inclusive - EDIN > Pôle Attractivité des territoires, Culture et Patrimoine
Published on : 2026/03/19
SUB-SAHARAN AFRICA
SOMALIA
HARGEISA
Mission description
Expertise France is looking to hire a local expert in law and heritage to support an international expert in conducting the benchmark of international and regional best practices in heritage legislations.
The local legal expert will work in close collaboration, as a pair with an international heritage law expert, selected by Expertise France, to ensure that comparative findings are grounded in Somaliland’s legal, institutional, and socio-political context.
General objective
To support the production of a comparative analysis of selected national heritage laws and to translate its conclusions into practical, context-sensitive recommendations for Somaliland’s framework law.
Anticipated results
- A dedicated background note (5–8 pages) covering the drafting history, original vision and principles, embedded priorities, and challenges encountered during the development of Somaliland's draft heritage law.
- Inputs and comments to the comparative analysis report of 3–5 national heritage laws, including written notes on implications for Somaliland’s legal and institutional context and financing arrangements for heritage management and preservation.
- Contribution to a policy brief (maximum 4 pages) summarising key recommendations for Somaliland’s framework law, including financing aspects, tailored for the Ministry of Trade and Tourism (MoTT), the National Museum (NM) and parliamentarians.
Planned activities :
The local expert will:
- Document the history of the drafting process of Somaliland's heritage and archaeology law (2011–2022), including key milestones, consultations with MoTT/NM/Horn Heritage and other stakeholders, institutional interactions, and successive versions of the draft.
- Outline the original vision and guiding principles behind the draft law as developed with Horn Heritage, including its alignment with Somaliland's cultural identity and community aspirations.
- Identify the main priorities embedded in the current draft (e.g. site protection, community rights, financing mechanisms, regulation of scientific missions).
- Analyse challenges encountered during previous drafting and validation phases (political, legal, institutional, financial, capacity gaps) and their ongoing relevance to the revision process.
- Support the identification of 3–5 relevant national heritage laws (e.g. Kenya, Tunisia, Egypt, and/or other Horn of Africa countries), taking into account Somaliland’s legal traditions and regional priorities.
- Contribute to the analysis of key provisions (legal status of heritage, ownership, penalties, community rights, roles of institutions, etc.), with specific attention to their applicability and implications in Somaliland.
- Provide detailed information on Somaliland’s legal framework (Constitution, existing laws and regulations related to culture, land, environment, and decentralisation) and institutional set- up relevant to heritage and archaeology.
- Provide information on existing and potential financing mechanisms for the management, preservation, and maintenance of heritage and archaeological sites in Somaliland (e.g. public budget allocations, municipal revenues, tourism fees, donor support, community contributions), and advise on which options are most realistic and acceptable in the current legal and institutional context.
- Work closely with the international expert to formulate recommendations that are realistic and implementable in Somaliland, including considerations on customary practices and community engagement.
- Contribute to the drafting and contextual adaptation of the policy brief (maximum 4 pages) for MoTT, NM, and parliamentarians.
- Participate in coordination meetings with MoTT/NM, MoIC&NG, Horn Heritage, and other stakeholders as requested.
Anticipated deliverables
|
Deliverables |
End date |
|
1. Work plan and division of tasks with the international expert |
T0 + 1 week |
|
2. Detailed report outline |
T0 + 3 weeks |
|
3. Comparative analysis report of 3–5 national heritage laws |
T0 + 6 weeks |
|
4. Policy brief |
T0 + 6 weeks |
|
5. Restitution workshop |
T0 + 8 weeks |
Coordination and binome working arrangement
- The local expert will work as part of a binome with the international heritage law expert, with regular joint meetings and shared documents.
- The local expert will act as the main liaison with Somaliland institutions and stakeholders, ensuring ownership and uptake of recommendations.
- A brief joint workplan and division of tasks will be agreed at the start of the assignment with the international expert and the contracting authority.
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 the country’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 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.
Required profile
Number of experts: 1
Profile of the designated expert responsible for contract execution :
- University degree in law; specialisation in public law, land law, or related field is an asset.
- At least 5–7 years of professional experience in the legal sector in Somaliland (e.g. drafting laws and regulations, legal advisory to ministries or Parliament, justice sector work).
- Demonstrated familiarity with Somaliland’s legislative processes and institutional landscape.
- Experience in culture, heritage, land, environment, or related sectors is a strong asset.
- Proven ability to draft clear legal and policy texts in Somali and/or English.
- Excellent capacity to interact with public institutions, traditional authorities, and civil society.
Additional information
Place, duration and terms of performance
Location: home-based with in person meetings in Hargeisa.
Start date: 15/04/2026
End date: 15/06/2026
Effective duration per assignment: 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.
How to apply ?
Upload into Expertise France platform :
- A brief technical proposal (max. 3 pages) outlining understanding of the assignment, proposed contribution, and availability
- 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 training/skills/experience
- Candidate’s experiences linked with the expert mission
- Candidate’s expected linguistic understanding
- Candidate's knowledges related to local context (country or region intervention)
Deadline for application : 2026/03/26 23:59
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- 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.