Background

From the Organization of African Unity (OAU) to the creation of the African Union, the New Partnership for Africa’s Development (NEPAD)(a programme of the AU) and recent discussions on the Union government, Africa’s integration process has been marked by numerous initiatives, mixed results and the slow pace of implementation of regional integration programmes. Initiatives that mark Africa’s integration agenda

The integration approach geared toward the establishment of the African Economic Community (AEC), set forth by the Abuja Treaty, was regional in orientation, and was anchored on the RECs which constitute the pillars and building blocks of the AEC. These regional communities have made tremendous progress in their respective domains since they were created, but the pace of implementation of programmes is still slow and needs the support of integration players.

In this context and in order to stem this problem as well as to support the RECs as major pillars of the AEC, African Ministers in charge of Integration adopted the Minimum Integration Programme (MIP).This was accomplished during the Fourth Conference of African Ministers of in charge of Integration (COMAI IV) held in Yaoundé, Cameroon, from May 7-8, 2009. The MIP constitutes Africa’s efforts to map out, in phases, how, through selected sectors and activities, it will achieve each of the six stages of the Abuja Treaty within the fixed time frame while also stemming the flow of dissipating, divergent, non-coordinated and incoherent efforts deployed to that effect. It will serve as the basis for convergence amongst the RECs, though cognisant of the principle of variable geometry. Considering the acute needs of integration, in terms of funding the process in general and the MIP activities in particular, the African Ministers in charge of Integration recommended the establishment of an African Integration Fund dedicated to the financing of integration activities on the continent.

Duties and Responsibilities

The overall objective of this assignment is to assess the feasibility of establishing an African integration Fundto finance the Minimum Integration Programme ITS successive Action Plans; and identify the modalities for its creation at a continental level taking into account existing regional and continental funds and ongoing work on alternative sources of funding for the African Union

In order to attain the above objective, the specific purpose of the study is the following:

Costings 

•  Undertake a cost-benefit and risk analysis of creating the Fund; \
•  Identify and evaluate potential financing sources, including Member States, private sector, development partners, taking into consideration on-going work by the AUC on alternative sources of funding for the African Union and consultations with Member States by the High Level Panel on a possible option;
•  Propose AN innovative resource mobilization strategy; and
• Quantify the levels of contributions required from various financing options in order to sustainably replenish the Fund on a yearly basis. 

Structure and Management of the Fund 

•  Propose a clear overall guiding framework for the Fund, including: mission, goal, objectives, and financing modalities (loans or grants); 
•  Propose a suitable fund type (endowment fund, trust fund etc); 
•  Propose suitable operational and structural arrangements for the fund: hosting arrangements (AIB or AfDB); structure (umbrella fund with various fund pillars, or one of a number of existing regional and Continental funds);specific guidelines with regard to capital preservation and liquidity; procedures for accessing the fund by AUC, Departments, RECs and Member States; procedure for approval of projects and disbursement of funds; scale of the funds to be disbursed for a given project – project thresholds; funding criteria; monitoring and evaluation of funded projects (fund disbursements and execution); 
• Identify suitable disbursement channels such as direct to RECs (for cross border initiatives), direct to Member States (for national projects that will have an impact on regional integration), to Member States through RECs (whereby RECs would take on the character akin to a Regional Development Agency [RDA] serving as an interlocutor between the central funding body and Member States, and responsible for disbursements monitoring and evaluation, and reporting back to the central funding body, as is the case in the United Kingdom (UK); 
• Propose the Fund’s governance structure, internal controls and monitoring and evaluation mechanisms;
• Propose the most suitable relationship between the Continental Integration Fund and other existing and potential funds at regional (COMESA, EAC, SADC, ECOWAS) and continental levels (E.g. CAADP Trust Fund, Gender Fund, the Peace Facility etc); and 
• Explore the potential relationship of the fund to local government structures at a national level (as with the example of the ESFs).
  

Implementation Modalities

• Propose suitable implementation arrangements (phased approach or immediate Continental rollout); and
• Set out the implementation timeframe.
  

Resource Mobilisation Strategy

• Develop a suitable resource mobilisation strategy
  

Competencies

Core values and Guiding principles:

• Integrity: Demonstrate consistency in upholding and promoting the values of UN Women in actions and decisions, in line with the UN Code of Conduct.
• Professionalism: Demonstrate professional competence and expert knowledge of the pertinent substantive areas of work.
• Cultural sensitivity and valuing diversity: Demonstrate an appreciation of the multicultural nature of the organization and the diversity of its staff. Demonstrate an international outlook, appreciating difference in values and learning from cultural diversity.

Core Competencies:

• Ethics and Values: Demonstrate and safeguard ethics and integrity
• Organizational Awareness: Demonstrate corporate knowledge and sound judgment
• Development and Innovation: Take charge of self-development and take initiative.
• Team Work: Demonstrate ability to work in a multicultural, multi ethnic environment and to maintain effective working relations with people of different national and cultural backgrounds.
• Communicating and Information Sharing: Facilitate and encourage open communication and strive for effective communication.

Functional competencies:

• Ability to plan, prioritize and deliver a variety of tasks on time
• Exercise sound judgment/analysis
• Ability to develop creative solutions
• Ability to provide constructive coaching and feedback for others
• Ability to liaise with a myriad of stakeholders and partners, including government, civil society, international organizations and grassroots organizations
• Ability to work in culturally diverse environments and display diplomacy and tact
• Demonstrated sensitivity, discretion, tact, and courtesy in relation to implementing partners, and national and international personnel of varied nationalities and backgrounds

Required Skills and Experience

Key expert 1:

Education:

• Masters or equivalent diploma(s) in Finance and/or Economics. Doctorate(s) would be preferable;  Holder of an internationally recognized professional qualification such as Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), will be an added advantage.

Experience:

• Clear understanding of African development imperatives as articulated in the Abuja Treaty, AU Constitutive Act and Sirte Declaration; as well as the inner workings of African institutions and the interplay between Member States, AU, the RECs and other comparable intergovernmental bodies regionally and globally.
  
• At least 10-15 years professional experience and expert knowledge of Financial/Fund/Investment Management, Investment Banking at an international level, Economic Policy, Research and Management, Econometrics, and Statistics; and  Experience of investment fund creation and management
• Excellent report writing and presentation skills.
  

Language Requirements:

•  Proficiency in French and English; and 

Key expert 2 (could be considered if the financing proposal meeting the funding threshold):

Education:

• Masters or equivalent diploma(s) Financial Law; 
• Holder of an internationally recognized professional qualification such as Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA), will be an added advantage.

Experience:

• Clear understanding of African development imperatives as articulated in the Abuja Treaty, AU Constitutive Act and Sirte Declaration; as well as the inner workings of African institutions and the interplay between Member States, AU, the RECs and other comparable intergovernmental bodies regionally and globally.
• At least 7 years professional experience in and expert knowledge of Financial Law, Financial Management and Investment Banking; and  Experience of investment fund creation and management.
• Excellent report writing and presentation skills.
  

These profiles must indicate whether they are to be regarded as long-term/short-term and senior/junior so that it is clear which fee rate in the budget breakdown will apply to each profile. All experts must be independent and free from conflicts of interest in the responsibilities accorded to them.

The selection procedures used by the Consultant(s) to select the other expert shall be transparent, and shall be based on pre-defined criteria, including professional qualifications, language skills and work experience. Civil servants and other staff of the Contracting Authority cannot be recruited as experts.

Language Requirements:

•  Proficiency in French and/or English; and 

Interested applicants are invited to submit their CV's online.  Only short listed candidates will be contacted to submit technical and financail proposal.

FC: 04000