ETHIOPIA: CONSULTANT FOR ASSISTING THE NAP GCF READINESS PROJECT

PROJECT BACKGROUND

The Government of Ethiopia has embarked on a long-term development trajectory, which could enable the country to maintain sustainable growth, achieve structural transformation and attain equitable distribution of wealth and shared prosperity over the long-term. The Ten Years Development Plan (2021-2030) of Ethiopia serves as an umbrella for sectoral and institutional strategic and mid-term plans and a key tool for cooperation fostering inclusive development. The ultimate goal of this plan is to bring the nation towards prosperity, security, sustainability. Building a climate resilient green economy is one of the strategic pillars of the plan.

Since the launching of the Climate Resilient Green Economy (CRGE) strategy in 2011, the Government of Ethiopia has been striving to direct its development in a green growth and climate compatible direction. Ethiopia has extensively invested in climate change mitigation and adaption actions and adopted polices and plans that ensure economy-wide integration of climate change agenda.

Ethiopia is one of the few countries that submitted a “2°C compatible” Nationally Determined Contribution (NDC) to the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC). Additionally, Ethiopia has prepared a Long-Term Low Emission Development Strategy (LT-LEDS), crafting how new domestic institutional and policy reform and path on climate change adaptation and mitigation interact with the country’s development endeavor and contribute to achieving national development objectives. The LT-LEDS is firmly aligned with the national long-term development objectives and goals of Ethiopia and shall play an important role in driving the alignment of the NDCs and near-term actions with longer-term Paris Agreement goals.

The Global Green Growth Institute (GGGI), a treaty based international intergovernmental organization, and Government of Ethiopia have developed a strong partnership, built on joint commitment to achieving the green growth and sustainable development objectives. The GGGI is among the key development partner institutions supporting the government of Ethiopia towards achieving the vision of building a climate resilient and carbon neutral economy. GGGI has provided policy advice, resource mobilization and capacity building support to pertinent Government sector ministries including the Ministry of Finance (MoF) and Ministry of Planning and Development (MoPD).

The Government of Ethiopia has taken action to advance on climate change adaptation by developing its National Adaptation Plan (NAP-ETH) in 2017 and remains committed to pursue its implementation in an effort to bring about transformational change in the country’s capacity to address the impacts of climate change. Currently, the GGGI as a delivery partner together Ministry of Planning and Development (MoPD) – the National Designated Authority (NDA) to the Green Climate Fund (GCF) is implementing the National Adaptation Planning (NAP) project soliciting funding from the GCF Readiness window entitled “building Capacity to Facilitate the Integration of the National Adaptation Planning Process in Ethiopia.” This project aims among other things to strengthen climate governance and coordination mechanisms for enhanced climate action.

The Federal Government of Ethiopia has recently restructured the national climate governance and coordination institutions. Accordingly, the Ministry of Planning and Development is conferred with the responsibility of the overall national coordination and leadership of climate actions in Ethiopia. The above reform has bestowed the Ministry of Planning and Development to be a national designated authority (NDA) or focal point (FP) to function as the focal ministry and main interface between Ethiopia and the United Nations Framework Convention on Climate Change (UNFCCC), Global Environment Facility (GEF) and Green Climate Fund (GCF).

MoPD has established Climate Change and Population sector managed at the State Minster level and developed a revised national guideline on new institutional governance and Coordination systems. The new climate and population arm of MoPD is responsible for delivering on the Ministry’s new mandate to lead climate planning and implementation for the Government and also coordination of climate change international negotiation and communication, planning and implementation of climate policy and strategy initiatives such as LT-LED Strategy and ensuring national compliance to the UNFCCC’s requirements. Therefore, to leverage opportunities to advance climate action and strengthen the NDA coordination unit, the MoPD seeks capacity support through embedded NAP Project Assistant Consultant.

GGGI has a long history of experience in Ethiopia building the capacity of the government towards achieving the CRGE vision by providing technical assistance through seconding or embedding technical expertise in government pertinent sector ministries and institutions to promote the development of capacity, knowledge sharing, and systems building. Therefore, this term of reference is to hire a NAP Project Assistant Consultant to strengthen the NDA coordination unit in MoPD and provide technical support to implementation of NAP GCF Readiness project.

OBJECTIVE OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The general objective of the assignment is to have a Climate Adaptation Consultant who will be embedded in MoPD to build the institutional capacity of the NDA coordination unit.

Under the guidance of the NDA focal person and supervision of the project lead, the Consultant shall perform the following specific responsibilities but not limited to:

• Develop functional No-objection process and No-objection procedure and operational manual for institutional coordination,
• Support the operation of the NDA coordination unit,
• Develop NDA country need assessment,
• Support the development of GCF country programming document and GCF handbook to be shared to key stakeholders,
• Facilitate training to the NDA staff in areas relevant to the objectives of the GCF and oversight of GCF activities,
• Improve the capacity of the direct access applicants and accredited entities (DAEs) to meet and maintain the GCF’s accreditation standards,
• Prepare lesson learned document on best practices on GCF programmes from other countries, where the NDAs or Delivery Partners of Readiness support have successfully implemented relevant Readiness support,
• Improve capacity of Climate Change unit team to coordinate and deliver functions related to MoPD’s climate mandate,
• Provide technical support in the development of the new CRGE governance operational manual,
• Support the implementation of the NAP GCF Readiness project,
• Review concept notes and proposal for facilitating the on-objection process,
• Integrate gender and social inclusion in the operation of NDA,
• Perform any other tasks as deemed necessary by the State Minster and NDA focal point.

Under the supervision of the NAP GCF Readiness Project Lead, the Consultant shall be responsible for the following delivery:

GGGI shall pay the Individual Consultant on daily rate of Level 3 consultancy service on a monthly basis for the actual number of days worked in a calendar month according to the terms and conditions of an individual Consultancy Contract.

• Master’s Degree in Environment and Natural Resource, Economics, Environment and Development Studies, Environmental law, Agriculture, policy and international relations or another related field.
• Senior professional with at least eight years of experience in the field of institutional development or change and projects/programs in the field sustainable development, environment, climate change and climate finance in international organizations.
• Familiarity with the UNFCCC protocols and climate change negotiation process.
• Demonstrated ability and experience in resource mobilization and bankable proposal development.
• Familiarity with the international climate finance source including GCF, the role of NDA to GCF and no objection process is an added advantage.
• Good knowledge of Ethiopia’s climate policy landscape and response on climate change.
• Knowledge of grant management, result based monitoring and evaluation practices.
• Knowledge of the operations of the Ministry of Planning and Development and Ministry of Finance is an added advantage.
• Good knowledge of the government operations at the national, regional and woreda levels.
• Having private sector experience will be an added advantage.
• Ability to integrate gender equality and social inclusion.
• Exceptionally good communication, networking, and interpersonal skills.
• Computer literacy in Microsoft packages (MS Word, MS PowerPoint, MS Excel, and Outlook).
• Strong self-motivation and innovative skills, with the capacity to work independently and meet deadlines.