Result of Service

The incumbent will be responsible for the below: 1. Annotated Table of Contents for the Arab Regional Report on the status of transboundary cooperation in the region for informing acceleration on SDG 6.5.2 2. Draft Arab Regional Report (25-30 pages) on the status of implementation of SDG indicator 6.5.2 and transboundary water cooperation in the Arab region for informing pathways for advancement of transboundary cooperation. 3. Final Arab Regional Report (25-30 pages, plus bibliography) based on the comments received on the draft version, in addition to the cover pages of any referenced bibliographic materials. The final report will be prepared in the English language. The final report (25-30 pages, plus bibliography) will be submitted in MS Word (Times Roman, 11-point font, single spaced, A4 sized paper). Original diagrams, tables, figures and illustrations generated for the purpose of this report should be submitted as high-resolution images in the report or as separate files in their original format. The use of tables, diagrams and graphical materials is encouraged. Reference materials should be duly cited in footnotes and in a bibliography at the end of the document (including webpage addresses and date of download, as appropriate). The submission of an e-copy of the cover pages of all material listed in the bibliography is required with submission of the final report. Should any copyrighted material be included in the report, including figures, tables or illustrations, the consultant is responsible for ensuring that the owner of the materials under copyright provides permission to ESCWA for reproduction of those materials.

Work Location

Remotely

Expected duration

10 Weeks

Duties and Responsibilities

Background: ESCWA collaborated with UNECE and UNESCO for the preparation of the first Arab regional report for SDG 6.5.2 in 2018 and extended this collaboration to support greater awareness and knowledge to foster dialogue and progress on transboundary cooperation from a regional perspective through a second joint report in 2021. The initial report reviewed the status of transboundary cooperation in the Arab region highlighting regional priorities and challenges. The second report provided an update on the status of transboundary cooperation in the region with a focus on means of accelerating transboundary cooperation in the region and it contributed to the regional midterm review of the Water Action Decade and the SDG 6 Global Acceleration Framework. The third report will consider transboundary cooperation in the context of cooperation under regional political and economic dynamics, the accession of Iraq to the Water Convention, climate change and be conducted in the framework of advancing transboundary cooperation in a manner suited for the region. Duties and Responsibilities: Under the overall supervision of the Leader of the Climate Change and Natural Resources Sustainability Cluster, the regional expert will report directly to the Coordinator on IWRM for Improved Water Security and be responsible for the following: 1. Drafting an annotated Table of Contents for the Arab Regional Report on the status of transboundary cooperation in the region for informing SDG indicator 6.5.2 implementation and advancement of transboundary cooperation, for comment and feedback by ESCWA. 2. Drafting the 2023 Arab Regional Report (25-30 pages) on the status of transboundary cooperation in the region for informing SDG indicator 6.5.2 implementation and advancement of transboundary cooperation, including: • Follow the outline provided in the agreed upon Table of Contents ensuring that all the sections are adequately addressed; • Analyse national responses from Arab States and neighboring countries as part of their indicator report submission under the second global survey on SDG indicator 6.5.2; • Collect and examine data from other established sources to complement the information provided in the indicator reports for improved robustness of data analysis, including data on transboundary water cooperation that may have been provided by Arab States under SDG indicator 6.5.1; • Provide an Arab regional analysis on the status of transboundary cooperation based on the country-level responses and regional specificities; • Generate analysis at the regional, national and basin levels on priority issues to address when seeking to advance transboundary cooperation; • Assess regional progress towards achieving SDG indicator 6.5.2 and the national priorities and challenges; • Provide key findings and recommendations for advancing transboundary cooperation; • Develop boxes/sections to highlight regional disparities, challenges and success stories; • Generate analysis on how transboundary cooperation at the Arab regional level can be advanced drawing on the SDG 6 Global Acceleration Framework and lessons learned; • Prepare tables, charts and figures to enhance the presentation of findings and highlight priority areas/issues, as needed; • Solicit feedback from ESCWA on the draft report. 3. Finalizing the report (25-30 pages) based on the comments received and submitting it along with a complete bibliography and the cover pages or website addresses of all the referenced materials.

Qualifications/special skills

A Master’s degree in water resources management, sustainable development, international water law or related field is required. All candidates must submit a copy of the required educational degree. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. A minimum of seven years of progressively responsible experience working in the field of water resources management with a focus on transboundary water resources, and/or water law within the context of sustainable development is required. Strong organizational and drafting skills are required.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat; and Arabic is a working language of ESCWA. For this position, fluency in English is required. Knowledge of Arabic desirable. Note: “Fluency” equals a rating of ‘fluent’ in all four areas (speak, read, write, and understand) and “Knowledge of” equals a rating of ‘confident’ in two of the four areas.

Additional Information

Not available.

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.