Organization: UNV – United Nations Volunteers
Location: Addis Ababa
Grade: Level not specified – Level not specified
Occupational Groups:
Sustainable trade and development
Closing Date: 2024-06-30
Details
Mission and objectives
Mission: To support developing countries to access the benefits of a globalized economy more fairly and effectively Objectives: – To help equip developing countries deal with the potential drawbacks of greater economic integration. – To provide analysis, facilitate consensus-building, and offer technical assistance to developing countries to use trade, investment, finance, and technology as vehicles for inclusive and sustain-able development
Context
Ethiopia has made significant socioeconomic progress in the past two decades through public-led investments in economic and social infrastructure. However, this progress has not been associated with the fostering of economy-wide productive capacities, economic diversification, value-addition and the achievement of overall structural economic transformation. Ethiopia’s Productive Capacities (PCI) score has remained low compared with the average of sub-Saharan African countries. The low level of productive capacities is due to binding constraints and gaps in several key areas. A holistic approach and wide-ranging policy recommendations are required to address these challenges. UNCTAD in collaboration with the Ministry of Industry intensely engaged with Ethiopia’s stakeholders on its productive capacities; through a series of activities, including a policy dialogue and capacity building on the PCI, consultations with various stakeholders, development and validation of the National Productive Capacities Gap Assessment (NPCGA), and launch of the Holistic Productive Capacities Development Programme (HPCDP) for Ethiopia. The focus of the HPCDP is responding to the key challenges and binding constraints identified by the NPCGA and contributing to the implementation of Ethiopia’s Ten Years Development Plan and the SDGs. Specific areas of focus and related activities: a) Industrialising the country through a focus on value-addition and building a robust manufacturing sector based on the country’s identified comparative advantages b) Fostering inter and intra-firm and inter-sectoral linkages and creating dynamic, vibrant and competitive domestic private sector c) Building human capital to effectively respond to the changing market needs d) Facilitating private sector development through the creation of an enabling business environment e) Strengthening the capacity of Ethiopia’s institutions and policymakers to reorient do-mestic policies towards a holistic approach
Task description
Under the direct supervision of the Chief, UNCTAD Regional Office for Africa, the UN Volunteer will undertake the following tasks aligned with the Holistic Productive Capacities Development Programme (HPCDP) for Ethiopia: – Conduct a mapping of stakeholders and engaging them in the process of identifying quick wins value chains of Ethiopia’s economy which have potential for expansion, with a view to achieving productivity gains and export diversification. – Select two value chains with high potential to achieving productivity gains and export diversification, conduct gap analysis for the two value chains and then provide rec-ommendations as well as concrete actions to address the identified gaps. – Identify and map Ethiopia’s major export markets and new export products, and or-ganise export coaching sessions for existing and new exporters – Assist in organising study tours and experience sharing programmes with a focus on Asian and African countries. – Contribute to the preparation of a detailed, implementable and modern business strat-egy or plan for EPZs and SEZs in Ethiopia – Design and support the implementation of specific programmes aimed at fostering experience sharing and learning from best practices in managing and sustaining EPZs and SEZs to realise their investment promotion potential. – Design and provide hands-on capacity building to Ethiopia’s MSMEs on selected top-ics related to international trade – Facilitate the integration of Ethiopia’s MSMEs into regional and global value chains through the Business Linkages Programme. – Support the strengthening of Ethiopia’s Business Management Organizations with the objective of facilitating regular dialogue between the private sector/MSMEs represent-atives and the Government on the impact of MSME