Result of Service

The consultant will produce 3 deliverables in a timely manner:

Deliverable 1: By 20 September 2026 -- completion of an annotated outline setting out the conceptual framework, key research questions, proposed empirical methodology, data sources and structure of the paper.
Deliverable 2: By 30 October 2026 -- completion of the first full draft of the paper, including the conceptual analysis, empirical results, case studies, assessment of key constraints, policy implications and preliminary recommendations.
Deliverable 3: By 30 November 2026 -- finalization of the full paper by refining results, taking into account review comments, and including complete data and methodological documentation.

Work Location

Remote

Expected duration

4 months

Duties and Responsibilities

Background The countries of the Arab region vary considerably in their resource endowments, productive structures and levels of economic diversification. While the region possesses significant productive assets, many economies remain concentrated in a limited number of sectors, with diversification often occurring in relatively low-value-added activities. Greater access to markets and inputs, coupled with supportive macroeconomic policies, can broaden productive capabilities, enable the emergence of new and higher-value-added activities, accelerate economic diversification and build resilience to economic shocks. Realizing these opportunities requires dynamic private sectors, stronger technological and productive capabilities, and supportive industrial policies. Against this background, ESCWA proposes an analytical paper on Economic Diversification and Resilience in the Arab Region to assess diversification patterns, opportunities and constraints, and identify policy priorities. Duties and Responsibilities The objective of the consultancy is to prepare an analytical paper on Economic Diversification and Resilience in the Arab Region. The paper will assess patterns and drivers of diversification across Arab economies, examine how access to markets and productive capabilities can enable new economic activities, and identify policies for accelerating diversification and building resilience. Under the overall guidance of ESCWA, the consultant will undertake the following tasks:

Assess the structure and evolution of diversification across Arab economies, including products, sectors, exports, markets and sources of income, and review existing industrial and diversification strategies. Examine data and assess trends over time at country and regional level.
Identify key constraints to diversification, including market fragmentation, commodity dependence, weak productive and technological capabilities, limited private-sector dynamism, financing constraints, skills gaps and institutional and regulatory barriers.
Discuss a framework of accelerating industrial development toward structural transformation, taking into account the assets and changing nature of economic activities across the region.
Develop policy recommendations for accelerating economic diversification and building resilience across the Arab region.

Qualifications/special skills

A PhD in economics 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 15 years of professional work experience in the field of research on regional development issues is required. Publications on macroeconomic policy and economic diversification issues in peer reviewed journals or international reports is required. Undertaking high-level initiatives from international organizations is desirable. Demonstration of quantitative analysis and interpretation is desirable.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariate; and Arabic is a working language of UNESCWA. For this position, fluency in English is required. Note: "Fluency" equals a rating of 'fluent' in all four area ( speak, read, write, and understand).

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.

Consultancy on Economic Diversification and Resilience in the Arab Region Terms of Reference