Result of Service

Project support for the Development Account tourism project

Work Location

Kigali

Expected duration

10 months

Duties and Responsibilities

Background

The tourism industry is a priority sector at the national, regional and continental levels in Africa. For Eastern Africa, it is a driver of economic growth and development, contributing as much as 64% to Seychelles’ GDP and an average of 8.7% of GDP across the region. Accordingly, the Africa Union (AU) has identified tourism as one of the avenues through which the goals of Agenda 2063: The Africa We Want. At the regional level, the East African Community (EAC) has identified tourism in its Vision 2050 framework as a pathway towards resolving the perennial challenge of unemployment, in particular, that of women and young people. The Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) has also identified the sector as an avenue through which its developmental goals could be achieved.

In its Agenda 2063 goals, the AU, has set targets to be met within its 10-year implementation frameworks, the first of which is due to end by 2023. The main target, in this first phase, is to increase tourism’s contribution to the continent’s GDP by 100% from the 2013 base year (from some USD 162 billion to USD 324 billion), and double intra-Africa tourism over the same period. To realise these goals, the AU recommends the formulation and implementation of a continental tourism strategy (the former has been completed) and the establishment of an African Tourism Organisation. What is more, the tourism sector has been identified as one of the five priority services sectors for African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA). Similarly, the EAC tourism marketing strategy envisages to grow international, intra and inter-regional to over 30 million by 2024 with a target of 80% from the region.

These notable efforts and prioritization of the tourism sector notwithstanding, substantial challenges to the growth of international and more so intra-African tourism remain including a narrow range of products that are often nature-based and generic, without having the African tourism market in mind, limited human capital, lack of value for money and empirical data to inform appropriate policy formulation, all pointing to competitiveness- related issues. In fact, the recently released Travel and Tourism Competitiveness Index, indicates the Eastern Africa is not doing well when compared to other parts of the world and that at positions 62 and 82, Seychelles and Kenya are the best ranked countries in the region. These challenges have further been exacerbated by the COVID-19 pandemic with sector being the most affected with revenue losses of up to 92% stemming from a decline in international arrivals of close to 80%. This has been due to uncertainty in both domestic and international travel following measures to combat the spread of the pandemic.

RESPONSIBILITIES

This job opening will be located in the Sub-regional Office for Eastern Africa (SRO-EA) of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). Under the direct supervision of the Programme Manager, This job opening will be located in the Sub-regional Office for Eastern Africa (SRO-EA) of the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (UNECA). Under the direct supervision of the Programme Manager, the main responsibility of the individual contractor will be to provide administrative and programmatic support for the implementation, Monitoring and Reporting on, of the Development Account project on Tourism; more specifically the responsibilities include:

• Ensure that All activities of the project are well planned for delivery, and implemented well;

• Provide background and administrative support in the organization and delivery of national and regional tourism training seminars.

• Provide assistance in the preparation of project activity reports.

• Facilitate evaluations of events undertaken under the DA project;

• Support the dissemination of knowledge and best practices on sustainable tourism development, as generated under the DA project;

• Support any other administrative and programmatic activity of the office as needed.

Qualifications/special skills

High School Diploma is required for this post.

University Degree will be desirable in business administration, project management, Tourism, urban studies or any other social or economic discipline.
Relevant work experience of at least 5 years with a focus on project management, tourism development or related area, especially in Africa.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in both languages is required for this position.

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.