Coordinator: Regional Economic Communities Advisors - Committed To Good

CTG staff and support humanitarian projects in fragile and conflict-affected countries around the world, providing a rapid and cost-effective service for development and humanitarian missions. With past performance in 17 countries – from the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Asia, we have placed more than 20,000 staff all over the world since operations began in 2006.

CTG recruits, deploys and manages the right people with the right skills to implement humanitarian and development projects, from cleaners to obstetricians, and mechanics to infection specialists, we’re skilled in emergency response to crises such as the Ebola outbreak in West Africa.

The key to successful project delivery is the ability to mobilise at speed; CTG can source and deploy anyone, anywhere, in less than 2 weeks and have done so in 48 hours on a number of occasions.

Through our efficient and agile HR, logistical and operational services, CTG saves multilateral organisations time and money. We handle all our clients’ HR-related issues, so they are free to focus on their core services.

Overview of position

• The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat is the sole organization in the continent, legally established and mandated to handle the rules of trade between African countries. At the core is the implementation of the agreement establishing the AfCFTA (thereafter “AfCFTA agreement”), negotiated, signed & ratified by the state parties. The goal is to ensure that trade is conducted smoothly, predictably & as freely as possible across the continent. The AfCFTA Secretariat, which is headquartered in Accra – Ghana at the Africa Trade House, was established in February 2020 following the election of its first Secretary General.
• The AfCFTA agreement was signed at an extraordinary session of the assembly of the African Union (AU) in Kigali, Rwanda on 21 March 2018. The agreement sets out a continental system of trade rules, acts as a platform for negotiating trade protocols, facilitates the settlement of disputes between state parties & monitors the implementation of the AfCFTA agreement. Furthermore, the AfCFTA agreement is a framework agreement, with comprehensive coverage of trade in goods, trade in services, investment, competition policy, intellectual property rights, women, youth in trade & digital trade as well as rules & procedures for the settlement of disputes.
• The Regional Economic Communities (RECs) have a very important role to play in the advancement of the Africa’s integration agenda & in particular the AfCFTA. The agreement recognizes the RECs as building blocks for the AfCFTA, which is expected to build on the progress that had been achieved by the RECs. The AfCFTA Secretariat is therefore expected to work with the RECs in the implementation of the AfCFTA.
• The 33rd ordinary session of the assembly of heads of state of the AFU held in February 2020 requested the AfCFTA Secretariat, AU commission & the RECs to develop a framework of collaboration before the start of trading under the AfCFTA & submit a substantive progress report on the matter.

• In January 2017, the ordinary session of the AU also directed that there should be effective collaboration & a clear division of labour between the AU, REC’s / Regional Mechanisms (RMs) & the member states, in line with the principle of subsidiarity.
• Therefore, the need to establish a clear, effective division of labour is necessitated by the need for AfCFTA Secretariat, other allied institutions, in particular the RECs, to work together in every area of integration based on their respective competences so as to remove overlaps & duplication. This ensures the delineation of responsibilities within each area or sector of integration based on subsidiarity.
• It is against this background that the AfCFTA Secretariat seeks to engage the services of the RECs Coordinator to develop strategies to enhance the effective collaboration between the Secretariats of the AfCFTA & the RECs.

Role objectives

The Coordinator is to support the development of a strategy to enhance the effective collaboration between the Secretariats of the AfCFTA & the RECs. The Coordinator will work directly under the Chief of Staff in the office of the Secretary General on the following tasks, among others:

• Coordinate & monitor the activities of Regional Trade Advisors on the implementation of the AfCFTA.
• Undertake a study of appropriate modalities, mechanisms for managing the interface between the Secretariat of the AfCFTA & the RECs.
• Map out the potential areas of convergence, divergence the RECs liberalization agenda & the implementation of the AfCFTA.
• Develop a strategy to enhance the effective collaboration between the Secretariats of the AfCFTA & the RECs.
• Develop an Implementation matrix for collaboration between the Secretariats of the AfCFTA & the RECs.
• Establish mechanisms to ensure private sector / civil society involvement in the AfCFTA.

• Develop mechanisms for enhancing the blue economies in the context of the AfCFTA.
• Establish effective mechanisms for mobilization of resources for the effective implementation of the AfCFTA / RECs collaboration.
• Perform any other duties as may be required from time to time.

The main deliverables of the assignment are as follows: No.

• Deliverables / outputs
• Estimated duration to complete
• Review & approvals required

Qualification:

PhD in Economics, International Trade or Trade Law, preferably a combination of academic & technical experience in both social & economic fields or a Master’s Degree in Economics, International Trade or Trade Law & at least 12 years of experience in the field of trade policy formulation, trade negotiation & implementation ( essential).

Sector experience: Minimum of 12 year/s of demonstrable relevant Trade Policies, Trade Negotiations & Implementation experience ( essential).

Geographical experience: Minimum of 12 year/s of experience in Africa ( desirable).

Languages: Fluent in one of the AfCFTA working languages ??(French, English, Portuguese, Arabic). Fluency in another AfCFTA working language(s) is an added advantage. ( desirable).