Result of Service

Through the delivery of analytical diagnostics, stakeholder consultations, capacity-building inputs, and policy instruments, the Consultant’s work will contribute to:

Enhanced understanding of structural, regulatory, and market barriers affecting W-SMEs;
Development of actionable, gender-responsive policy recommendations;
Strengthening institutional capacity to integrate digital financing solutions into national trade and SME development strategies. The consultancy will result in practical, country-specific policy tools and institutional guidance that support the creation of an enabling environment for W-SMEs to improve productivity, access digital markets, and participate more effectively in regional value chains under the AfCFTA framework

Work Location

Mauritania

Expected duration

5 months

Duties and Responsibilities

ECA’s mission is to deliver ideas and actions for an empowered and transformed Africa, informed by the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and the African Union's Agenda 2063. The Commission supports member States in advancing economic diversification, regional integration, digital transformation, and inclusive development, with particular attention to gender equality and youth empowerment. The Subregional Office for North Africa (SRO-NA), based in Rabat, serves seven member States in North Africa and supports them in strengthening macroeconomic management, promoting employment creation, enhancing regional integration under the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA), and advancing digital transformation policies. Within this mandate, SRO-NA is implementing the Development Account Tranche 18 (DA-18) project entitled: “Enhancing the digital capacity of women-owned micro-, small and medium-sized enterprises in Africa.” The project aims to strengthen the digital and financial capabilities of women-owned SMEs (W-SMEs) and enhance policymakers’ capacity to design inclusive digital trade policies aligned with AfCFTA objectives. In this context, the National Consultant will support the project's implementation at the country level. Background and rationale for support The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) provides a significant opportunity to enhance intra-African trade, strengthen regional value chains, and promote economic diversification. The effective participation of small and medium-sized enterprises (SMEs), particularly women-owned SMEs (W-SMEs), is essential to ensuring that the benefits of the AfCFTA are inclusive and sustainable. In North Africa, W-SMEs continue to face structural barriers that limit their productivity and competitiveness. These include limited access to finance, low digital adoption, regulatory constraints affecting e-commerce and digital payments, and insufficient integration into regional markets. Persistent gender gaps in financial inclusion and digital access further restrict women entrepreneurs’ ability to leverage digital trade opportunities. While Egypt, Libya, Mauritania, and Tunisia have undertaken reforms to strengthen digital transformation and SME development, gaps remain in aligning national policy frameworks with the AfCFTA's inclusive digital trade objectives. Context-specific analysis and policy support are required to translate commitments into actionable reforms that address the needs of women entrepreneurs. In this context, the United Nations Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), through its Subregional Office for North Africa, is implementing the Development Account Tranche 18 (DA-18) project on enhancing the digital capacity of women-owned SMEs. Engaging a National Consultant will support the development of country-specific diagnostics, policy instruments, and stakeholder consultations to strengthen the enabling environment for W-SMEs to access digital markets, improve productivity, and participate more effectively in regional trade. Scope and tasks of work Under the direct supervision of the Project Manager and the overall supervision of the Director of SRO-NA, the National Consultant will conduct a comprehensive assessment of the digital and financial inclusion gaps affecting women-owned SMEs in one of the project’s focus countries. The consultant will support the organization and delivery of the National Stakeholders Workshop, which will serve as the official national-level launch of the project. Moreover, the consultant will develop a Country Module on the Institutional and Regulatory Ecosystem for Digital Trade and Digital Finance that is accessible to W-SMEs with disabilities. The module will equip women-owned SMEs with the knowledge needed to understand and navigate the country’s institutional, regulatory, financial, and business support ecosystem related to digital trade, fintech solutions, and digital finance. Based on the assessment findings, the consultant will prepare a country-specific policy paper, including actionable recommendations and an implementation plan, to support policymakers in designing and implementing inclusive and gender-responsive digital trade policies. Expected Deliverables 1. Work plan outlining methodology, timeline, stakeholder mapping approach, and data collection framework; Proposed structure of the national diagnostic report, country-specific module, and policy paper. 2. National Diagnostic Report on digital and financial inclusion gaps and the digital trade policy environment affecting women-owned SMEs: Review of national digital trade, e-commerce, fintech, and regulatory frameworks; Stakeholder mapping analysis; Identification of priority constraints and reform areas. The report should integrate findings from stakeholder consultations and workshop discussions. 3. Support the National Workshop, including the preparation of background notes, agenda, and a summary report of the workshop, including key findings and recommendations. 4. Country Module on the Institutional and Regulatory Ecosystem for Digital Trade and Digital Finance 5. Country Policy Paper identifying institutional, regulatory, and market barriers affecting W-SMEs; Alignment with AfCFTA digital trade provisions; Policy recommendations prioritized and sequenced. The performance of the Consultant will be evaluated based on the following criteria: 1. Timely submission of all deliverables in accordance with the agreed timeline. 2. Technical quality and analytical rigor of outputs, including clarity of analysis, evidence-based policy recommendations, and alignment with AfCFTA digital trade provisions. 3. Responsiveness to comments and revisions requested by SRO-NA and national stakeholders. 4. Effective technical contribution to stakeholder consultations and capacity-building workshops. 5. Integration of gender-responsive and disability-inclusive considerations throughout analytical and policy outputs. 6. Satisfactory completion of the assignment will be contingent upon delivery of all outputs to the required standard and within the agreed timeframe.

Qualifications/special skills

Advanced university degree (Masters' degree) in economics, trade, digital economy, business administration, or a closely related field is required. A first-level university degree in a combination of additional two years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the master's degree. A PhD in a relevant discipline would be an advantage A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible professional experience in economic analysis, trade policy, SME development, digital economy policy, or related fields is required Proven experience in facilitating stakeholder consultations and delivering workshops is required Demonstrated experience in policy analysis, particularly in the areas of digital trade and fintech as is knowledge of AfCFTA-related processes is desirable Experience working with government institutions, ministries, regulatory bodies, or international organizations is desirable Experience in integrating gender equality considerations into economic or trade policy analysis is an advantage

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the UN Secretariat. For this post, fluency in one of the working languages of the UN Secretariat is required. Fluency in the other language is desirable. Knowledge of Arabic is an advantage

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.

Enhancing Digital and Financial Capacity of Women-Owned SMEs (National Consultant for Mauritania)