Individual Consultancy Service: Legal, Institutional – Natural Resources & Environmental Law Expert at African Union - InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources

Job Description 

Under the direct supervision of the Project Team leader at AU-IBAR the incumbent will undertake the following targeted areas of work so as to achieve the objectives of the Project ‘Conserving Aquatic Biodiversity in African Blue Economy’

• Provide technical support relating to the Legal, Policy and institutional aspects of the project;
• Strengthen capacity for effective participation in Continental and Global Fora on aquatic biodiversity and environmental management;
• Drafting of MoUs, Protocols or Agreements for Regional cooperation on transboundary issues in shared aquatic ecosystems for biodiversity conservation and environmental management;
• Actively coordinate the formulation of Policies, Strategies, frameworks, regulations in the project to support the conservation of aquatic biodiversity and environmental management in the context of African Blue Economy;
• Identify and strengthen capacity of negotiators to guide and provide technical support to AU stakeholders for effective participation in Continental and Global regimes related to aquatic biodiversity and environmental sustainability;
• Develop priority issues for enhancing ratification and implementation of Continental and Global Instruments related to aquatic biodiversity and environmental management;
• Assist AU Member States for review of their National Instruments (e.g. Policies and legislations) for alignment or coherence with relevant Continental and Global Instruments;
• Develop harmonized Regional biodiversity frameworks and technical guidance to AU Member States to mainstream biodiversity strategies in relevant National Instruments;
• Support to gender mainstreaming in aquatic biodiversity conservation and environmental management;
• Identification and development of new initiatives or projects for sustainable Blue Economy development in Africa; and,
• Any other duty as may be assigned by the Project Team Leader.

Academic Requirements

The incumbent should have a Minimum of a Master’s degree in Marine or Ocean Policy and Law, Environmental sciences, Natural Resource Law and Policy. A qualification in public Law would be an added advantage.

General Experience

• Record of familiarization of African Blue Economy Sector;
• Record of working experience with and/or familiarization with Regional Economic Communities and specialized Regional institutions with mandates related to management of aquatic biodiversity and environmental management;
• Experience in planning, implementing and facilitating stakeholders’ consultative workshops;
• Familiarization of Continental and Global Instruments related to aquatic biodiversity;
• Experience in formulation or supporting formulation of Policies, Strategies, Frameworks, regulations to support governance of transboundary aquatic ecosystems in Africa; and,
• Recommendation of experience in promoting harmonized frameworks for management of transboundary aquatic ecosystems.

Specific Experience

• Record of experience in drafting of involvement in MOUs, Protocols, Agreements, legislations at National and Regional levels in Africa;
• Demonstrated experience of facilitating reviews of Policies and legislations for alignment with best practices in Continental and Global Instruments related to aquatic biodiversity conservation and environmental management in Africa;
• Proven record of articulating (or facilitating) coordinated common positions for effective participation of African stakeholders in Global Fora;
• Experience of supporting development of mechanism and capacity building of AU Member States and Regional institutions in negotiation skills for effective participation in Continental and Global initiatives; and,
• Record of familiarization with and knowledge on Continental and Global Fora related to aquatic biodiversity and environmental governance.