Result of Service

This consultancy is expected to result in a discussion paper “Toward an Arab Regional Perspective on Sustainable Development Beyond 2030”. The deliverable will serve as a foundation for a regional consultation to be undertaken by ESWA ahead of the 2027 SDG Summit, and will be refined based on the results of this consultation. The paper will be in English or Arabic and should be 30-35 pages in length to be submitted electronically as an MS Word file.

Work Location

Remote

Expected duration

4 months

Duties and Responsibilities

The consultant will work closely with the Leader of the 2030 Agenda and SDG Coordination Cluster and/or delegated staff. Coordination and follow-up with the consultant will be done through e-mails, phone calls and virtual meetings. The consultant will be required to provide updates on progress and submit phased deliverables, as per the agreed timeline. The consultant will be responsible for developing a discussion paper structured around the questions outlined above. On the basis of research, the consultant will prepare an initial draft of the paper that s/he will refine in light of the ESCWA consultation. The consultant will illustrate his/her ideas with concrete examples from the Arab region or globally. Responsibilities: 1. Undertake a desk review of relevant literature. This includes recent documentation on the successes and challenges of the 2030 Agenda and the SDG framework, such as those reported by Arab countries in their VNR reports. 2. Prepare a first draft of the discussion paper for ESCWA’s initial review and subsequent use during the planned consultation. 3. Participate actively in the ESCWA consultation with VNR focal points, deliver interventions and facilitate discussions as required. 4. Synthesize discussions from the above consultation and reflect into a final version of the paper, to be approved with ESCWA.

Qualifications/special skills

A Master's university degree in public policy, economics, social development, or a related field is required. All candidates must submit a copy of the required educational degree. Incomplete applications will not be reviewed. At least 15 years of progressively responsible experience and research in public policy formulation, implementation and analysis in the Arab region is required.

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations. Arabic is also one of the six official languages of the United Nations and a working language of ESCWA. For this consultancy, fluency in English and Arabic are required. 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.

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.

Consultant on the Discussion Paper, Toward an Arab Regional Perspective on Sustainable Development Beyond 2030