Result of Service

The Consultant’s work should contribute to mapping Afghanistan business and trade facilitation, particularly MSMEs development, and regional connectivity to the benefit of the Afghan people.

Work Location

Home based

Expected duration

5 months

Duties and Responsibilities

Connectivity and business facilitation is a pre-condition of regional economic cooperation and integration. Afghanistan is strategically located at the convergence of four of the world’s most populous and resource rich regions: South Asia, Central and North Asia, the Middle East, and the Far East. Afghanistan will continue to play an important role in the Eurasian continental trade network as a central connecting hub.

Under the general supervision of UNCTAD ASYCUDA Regional Coordinator for CEE, Central Asia and Afghanistan the incumbent should perform the following duties:

– Conduct needs assessment and develop proposals a tailor-made certification system for agri-products export suitable for adoption by Afghanistan’s food producing MSMEs based on Global Food Safety Initiative (GFSI) standards.
– Contribute to the extension of ASYCUDA functionalities for humanitarian goods processing through formulation of the recommendations based on comparison of the current Exemption system vs the ASYREC system in Afghanistan context.
– Develop, finalize and deliver cross-certified master’s level courses for Afghan development professionals in Afghanistan
in partnership with internationally accredited academic entities
– Contribute to building internal consensus with UNCTAD and other UN agencies present in Afghanistan on the subjects for which master’s level courses for Exemptions focal points in the Afghan regions and other categories of trainees should be developed.
– Prepare concept papers for joint UNCTAD-UNDP project, involving other UN agencies, for improvement of humanitarian situation and business environment in Afghanistan
– Provide ongoing mentoring support in technical report

Qualifications/special skills

Master degree in Social Sciences, preferably with a focus on development economics and development policy making processes PhD would be considered as the strong advantage
Minimum 7 years of experience in policy research and analysis on governance, economic development or related fields is required. Experience of policy research for Afghanistan or Central Asia region is required,
Experience of in-country research, lecturing and teaching in Afghanistan would be a strong advantage. Experience of conducting researches under the UN programmes .

Languages

Fluency in English is required. Knowledge of Dari or Pashto is the strong advantage

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.