Individual Consultant for National BE Strategies for the Islamic Republic of Mauritania at African Union - InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources

The specific objectives will be:

• To conduct review of existing instruments, institutions relevant to blue economy in the selected AU member states.
• To develop national blue economy strategies for the selected Africa Union Member States and the implementation plans.
• To design develop framework, specific to each selected AU member states, for setting-up a national blue governance and coordination mechanism.
• Facilitate stakeholders’ consultative workshops, virtual or physical, for validations of the draft national blue economy strategies, implementation plans and the blue governance coordination mechanism in each selected AU member state.
• To prepare report on the consultancy, including lessons and best practices.

Methodology of conducting the assignment

• During the consultancy, the individual consultant for each of the member states is expected to:
• Gain access to, and be thoroughly conversant with, the Africa Blue Economy Strategy, the Implementation Plan, framework for blue governance coordination mechanism documents and other relevant documents (related global initiatives, instruments and best practices).
• Review national instruments related to blue growth in the selected AU member states.
• Identify and interview with national institutions with mandates in blue economy sector.
• Consult electronically and/or virtually with relevant staff at AU-IBAR, AUDA-NEPAD, and relevant AUC Depts and incorporate their inputs in the draft.
• Participate and support facilitation of national stakeholders’ consultative workshops to validate the draft national blue economy strategies, implementation plans and frameworks for national blue governance coordination mechanisms.
• Incorporate comments / input from the stakeholders’ consultative and validation workshop and submit a final comprehensive version of the document to the AU-IBAR.
• The formulation of the national blue economy strategies, implementation plans and the national blue governance coordination mechanisms should be guided by the Africa Blue Economy Strategy and its Implementation Plans, continental framework for blue governance coordination mechanism as well as global best practices.
• Present the communique on the last day of the national stakeholders’ consultative workshops.
• Draft a workshop report and submit within three weeks after the meeting.

Deliverables/Outputs

• The successful consultant for each AU member state will be expected to submit to the Director, AU-IBAR:
• A draft inception report within five days (5) calendar days of signing the contract. The inception report should demonstrate a clear understanding of the assignment by the individual consultant. The report should also include a detailed work plan, timelines and deliverables of the assignment.
• First draft (after 20 days) of the national Blue Economy Strategy, implementation plans and framework for Blue Governance Coordination for each of the selected African union member states that will be circulated electronically for inputs by the AU member states, AU-IBAR, AUDA-NEPAD, relevant AUC Departments.
• The second draft (after 30 days) of national blue economy strategy, implementation plans and framework for blue governance coordination mechanisms will incorporate all comments and suggestions made by the above institutions.
• Final draft of the documents will be validated at the national consultative and validation workshops (virtually or physically as appropriate) with comments and suggestions incorporated to produce final validated documents.
• A comprehensive report on the consultancy with lessons and best practices is submitted.

Qualification

The individual consultant selected for each member state should possess advanced degree in blue economy related discipline: i.e. natural (marine) resources economics; ocean sciences; including climate change and environmental related studies. PhD degrees in relevant discipline would be an added advantage.

General experience

The successful individual consultant selected for each AU member state is expected to have the following experiences:

• At least 5 years’ experience or familiarization on blue economy sector development.
• Record of awareness creation and capacity building of stakeholders (member states, NSAs,) on Africa blue economy concepts.
• Record of formulation of monitoring and evaluation frameworks for implementation of strategies for natural resources governance.
• Record of formulation of relevant policies, strategies and frameworks in AU member states to support elements of blue economy resources development in Africa.
• Evidence of facilitating workshops on blue economy related issues.