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Ref.
2023/ESEBNTEEOTAC/9682

Job offer type
Experts

Type of contract
Service contract

Activity sectors
Business facilitation and regional integration

Deadline date
2023/07/25 23:59

Duration of the assignment
Long term

Contract
Freelancer

Duration
12 mois

Mission description

As part of the Technical Assistance Facility to support the AfCFTA and Continental Economic Integration (EU-TAF), Expertise France is recruiting a Technical Expert in the Directorate of Trade in Goods and Competition. The Technical Expert will work under the direct supervision of the Head of the Non-Tariff Measures (NTMs) Division, and provide support to the Directorate of Trade in Goods and Competition, in the day-to-day implementation of Annex 5 on Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs), and implementation of Annex 6 on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBTs).  

Project name and description: Team Europe Technical Assistance Facility to support AfCFTA and Continental Economic Integration (TE TAF). 

The Expert will perform the following tasks 

A Senior Expert Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs), and Technical Barriers to Trade (TBTs), who will be integrated into the Directorate’s workflow, will be responsible for the delivery of targeted technical inputs on a need-driven basis, informed by an agreed Work Plan developed in close collaboration with the Directorate. The Expert will perform the following key tasks:  

  • Take a lead in supporting the Directorate to implement the Work programme of the Sub-Committee on Non-Tariff Barriers;
  • Support to the Directorate, to enhance capacity across Member States in the implementation of the AfCFTA Protocol on Trade in Goods, Annex 5 on Non-Tariff Barriers, and Annex 6 on Technical Barriers to Trade.  
  • Provide technical assistance to the AfCFTA Secretariat towards hosting and facilitation of meetings of the Sub-Committee on NTBs bi-annually; 
  • Provide technical support towards the implementation of the Work Programme of the Sub-Committee on Technical Barriers to Trade;   
  • Facilitate awareness raising and capacity building for National Monitoring Committees and National focal points on the use of the AfCFTA NTB Online Mechanism. 
  • Coordinate awareness raising and capacity building on the general categories of potential sources of NTBs for the private sector, especially Small and Medium Enterprises.
  • Develop an annually updated inventory/category of standards development needs.
  • Facilitate development and implementation of Memorandum of Understanding (MoUs) with the continental the Pan-African Quality Infrastructure Institutions (PAQI); 
  • Develop and implement capacity-building Programs related to the standards applied to products (priority products) traded under the AfCFTA;
  • Develop and implement capacity-building Programs related to the standards applied to products (priority products) traded under the AfCFTA;
  • Facilitate the development of a non-prescriptive and non-binding Pan African technical regulation cooperation framework considering WTO TBT Committee decisions on Good Regulatory Practice;
  • Coordinate the recognition of Conformity Assessment schemes to be accredited by recognized Continental and International bodies (AFRAC, ILAC, and IAF) to avoid re-testing and re-certification for products traded in the AfCFTA;
  • Develop, manage, and maintain a viable effective TBT Notification system for notification of draft technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures in the AfCFTA;
  • Develop guidelines for the collection of Non-Tariffs Measures data to enhance regulatory transparency and compliance in the AfCFTA.
  • Support and coordinate State Party collection of Non-Tariff Measures data.
  • Facilitate dialogues and interactions between State Parties on the resolution and progressive elimination of NTBs. 
  • Facilitate implementation of a framework for collaboration between the Secretariat and the RECs in the area of Non-Tariff Barriers.
  • Coordinate implementation and maintenance of the AfCFTA NTB Online Mechanism.
  • Organise four awareness-raising and capacity-building workshops for both public and private sector entities on the effective use of the AfCFTA NTBs online Mechanisms at continental level.
  • Coordinate the implementation of the mobile Offline/SMS and mobile application reporting on the AfCFTA NTBs Online Mechanisms at national level.
  • The technical support will include the implementation of the Work Programme of the Sub-Committee on Non-Tariff Barriers through the coordination of the following activities:

Expected Results

The following deliverables are expected: 

  • The Sub-Committees on TBT and NTBs meets at least twice a year or as deemed necessary;
  • Collaboration and Cooperation with Pan African Quality Infrastructure (PAQI) Institutions established; 
  • Private Sector standards needs are captured and met;
  • All State Parties have capacity to develop national standards and adopt or adapt international standards;
  • Enhanced technical competence on good regulatory practice for preparation, adoption and application of technical regulations;
  • Pan-African Technical Regulation Framework adopted by State Parties to the AfCFTA;
  • Conformity assessment procedures in the AfCFTA comply with WTO TBT Agreement; 
  • Mutual Recognition Arrangements Framework developed; 
  • Enhanced private sector knowledge, understanding on the significance of using accredited facilities;
  • An effective and viable AfCFTA TBT Notification system is developed and supported by reliable maintenance tools;
  • Institutional framework for resolution of NTBs at national and continental level established and capacitated;
  • Enhanced appreciation, knowledge and technical competence on the implementation of the provisions of Annex 5 on NTBs by the relevant national institutions expected to resolve and eliminate NTBs;
  • Enhanced private sector knowledge and understanding of what NTBs, their to identification, including report of the same;  
  • Enhanced cooperation, knowledge and experience sharing on the resolution of NTBs between the AfCFTA Secretariat and the REC Secretariats; 
  • Effective facilitation of resolution of NTBs and quick turn-around time on reported NTBs; 
  • The AfCFTA NTB Online Mechanism is widely used to report NTBs; 
  • Mobilise reporting function on the AfCFTA NTBs Online Mechanisms is implemented in the State Parties. 

Project or context description

The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), conformed by 54 of the 55 African countries, is the first step to achieve the objective of a continental single market. With a journey that started in March 2018 in Kigali, Rwanda, when the AfCFTA Agreement was opened to signature, significant milestones have been registered that include 47 ratifications of the Agreement to date, and recent endorsement of the Competition Policy, Investment and Intellectual Property Rights Protocols, by the 36th AU Ho/SG Summit on the 19th of February, 2023. This landmark agreement offers significant promise for the continent’s transformation, and will open up new economies of scale and create stronger foundations for economic diversification.   

The AfCFTA is expected to boost intra-African trade, to promote structural transformation and to generate significant employment opportunities in Africa, especially for women and young people. Despite the high political momentum and the strong economic rationale, realizing the AfCFTA will require strengthening institutional capacities to complete negotiations and to implement and honour the agreements, with the active involvement of the private sector and effective cooperation between stakeholders at continental, regional and national level.  

Description of the TE TAF 

The Team Europe Technical Assistance Facility to support the AfCFTA and Continental Economic Integration (TE TAF) seeks to contribute to the African economic Integration agenda through mainly the realisation of the AfCFTA. It has two specific objectives: (1). Secretariat – with focus on strengthening the institutional capacity to coordinate negotiations, as well as provide oversight on the implemenation of the Agreement, and (2). to be an efficient, reactive and flexible mechanism to answer to the needs of the African Union (AfCFTA Secretariat, AUC and some AU Specialized agencies), RECs, AU Member States and other potential continental partners and regional private sector organisations, working on fostering the AfCFTA and economic continental integration. 

Funded by the EU, Agence Française de Development, the German Ministry of Development Cooperation (BMZ) and Sweden, the Team Europe Technical Assistance Facility will be implemented by GIZ, Expertise France, and FIAPP under the guidance of the AfCFTA Secretariat. The TE – TAF is implemented through the Project Management Unit (PMU), based at the AfCFTA Secretariat, in Accra, Ghana, whose mandate is to mobilize technical assistance to deliver interventions that foster to enhance implementation of the agreement. Each implementing partner agency (Expertise France, GIZ and FIIAPP) is represented in the PMU. 

Justification

With significant milestones on negotiations capped by the conclusion of Phase II during the last quarter of 2022, that covered Competition Policy, Investment and Intellectual Property Rights protocols, followed by their adoption by the 36th Africa Union Summit of Heads of State and Government (Ho/SG) on the 19th of February 2023, more focus, is now towards domestication of the protocols by Member States. Apart from that, trade facilitation, and the transition towards meaningful trade among state parties has now become an important subject, as we advance implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement. In this context, apart from tariff liberation, non-tariff barriers (NTBs) to trade will remain an important subject, if meaningful trade has to take-off under the AfCFTA.  

 

Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs) are restrictions that result from prohibitions, conditions, or specific market requirements that negatively affect the import or export of goods. They raise the cost of trade, and come in the form of unjustified or improper application of Non-Tariff Measures (NTMs) such as sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) measures and other technical barriers to Trade (TBT). The significance of this subject under AfCFTA agenda is a critical variable, and covered under Annex 5 on Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs), Annex 6 on Technical Barriers to Trade (TBT) and Annex 7 on Sanitary and Phytosanitary Measures (SPS) to the AfCFTA Protocol on Tarde in Goods. Thus, elimination of Non-Tariff Barriers (NTBs), and investment in processes at Member States level towards enhancing regulatory transparency will be important towards enhancing implementation of the AfCFTA Agreement, and directly benefit private sector development, and especially SMEs. It is given this context, and informed by the priorities of AfCFTA implementation priorities that Expertise France, through the TAF Project Management Unit of the AfCFTA Secretariat proposes to provide technical assistance to Directorate of Trade in Goods and Competition. 

 

Required profile

Qualifications and Skills

  • The Expert should possess a Master’s Degree in International Trade or Project Management or Quality Management or any Trade Policy related subject and should have a minimum of 7 years of experience in their relevant areas of expertise;  
  • The Senior Expert must have extensive experience in the area of Quality Infrastructure development, standards, quality, and conformity assessment, non-tariff measures, non-tariff barriers, and training/ capacity building skills; 
  • Demonstrate experience in managing complex, large-scale, and multi-year technical assistance projects in Africa; 
  • Regional and continental experience in Africa, African Regional Economic Communities, and other African countries; 

Other Relevant skills  

  • An in-depth understanding of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) agreement and its implementation status to date;  
  • Good analytical skills and knowledge of the African Union policies and procedures;  
  • Strong analytical skills and ability to prepare policy papers and opinions;  
  • Good communication and planning skills;  
  • Demonstrate the ability to interact with people with various expertise and consolidate their inputs.  

Language requirements

  • Candidate must have an excellent command of at least one of the African Union working languages (English, French, Arabic and Portuguese). Knowledge of one other language or several working languages would be an added advantage. 

Selection criteria for applications

The selection process for candidates will be based on the following criteria :

  • Candidate’s training/diplomas related to the expert assignment
  • Candidate’s experiences linked with the expert mission
  • Assessment of the candidate's skills in the sought-after domain
  • Candidate’s understanding of the mission’s role in the cooperation project

Deadline for application : 2023/07/25 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. 

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