Historique

The late Nigerian President Umaru Yar’Adua on June 25, 2009, proclaimed a 60-day unconditional amnesty period for militants in the Niger Delta, as a constructive step to resolving the protracted crisis in the region.  The pardon is based on the willingness and readiness of militants to surrender their arms, completely renounce militancy unconditionally and agree to make an undertaking to this effect. It is however not a blanket state pardon as militants who are willing to lay down their arms are expected to sign an undertaking not to return to the creeks to continue with the struggle.

With President Goodluck Jonathan having reconstituted the Presidential Amnesty Committee, the demobilisation process was given a new lease of life. Now under the direct supervision of the Presidential Advisor on Niger Delta, the demobilisation phase took off in earnest in July 2010, with over 7,000 repentant militants having taken in the transformational training and reorientation process in Calabar.

The Niger Delta region is entering a critical phase in the process of security stabilization and community recovery. The Amnesty process which heralded the disarmament and demobilization activities have resulted in a great number of ex-combatants – approximately 20,000 – many of whom have been through psycho-social training and are still waiting for sustainable economic reintegration. However, a series of events are liable to jeopardize this stabilization phase. The most important being the upcoming general elections expected to hold in April 2011.

Presently, there is a request from the Presidential Committee on the Amnesty process for further assistance in the area of reintegration programming which is within the profile of current scope of assistance and expertise available to the committee.

Working directly with the Presidential Amnesty Committe this assignment is to provide short-term and immediate support for the security stabilisation in the Niger Delta through the DDR process> it is also recognised that long term security can only be consolidated and sustained by addressing the broad development challenges in the Niger Delta. Consequently the assistance and support from UNDP envisages exploring coherent linkage between the short-term support to the PCA and the broad development assistance promoted by the Ministry for Niger Delta Affairs for transition from short to medium term development.

Devoirs et responsabilités

Specific tasks of the Technical Advisor

The specific tasks the staff member is expected to carry out include:

• Provide advice on Monitoring and evaluation process for the training centres including design of systems for concurrent beneficiary tracking, performance impact monitoring etc
• Secure and ensure implementation of the commitment of the development partners to the reintegration and post-reintegration activities such as concurrent beneficiary tracking and job placement support
• Identify other sources of funding for reintegration programme and placement into parallel programmes of reintegration
• Manage funds sourced by the UNDP from other development partners in support of reintegration process
  Work under the supervision of the Amnesty Reintegration Team leader to provide targeted reintegration assistance to the project team
• In collaboration with the MNDA and under the leadership of the Reintegration Team Leader, assist in working out transitional strategy from the short-term support of the Amnesty reintegration process to medium and long term development support within a broad framework of inclusive community-based recovery process promoted by the Ministry of Niger Delta Affairs.

These tasks are critical for the successful implementation of the programme and covers the areas of assistance UNDP previously agreed to provide to the PCA and the MNDA.

Compétences

Key Competencies

• Effective communications skills and ability to establish good working relationships with national and international interlocutors;
• High moral integrity, sound political judgment as well as diplomacy, impartiality and discretion and proven capacities of initiative, leadership and autonomy;
• Ability to work under pressure and with discretion in a politically sensitive, culturally diverse environment;
• Excellent knowledge of post-conflict and recovery issues is highly desirable;
• Excellent knowledge of the UN system as well as other bilateral and multilateral development agencies.
  

Qualifications et expériences requises

Qualifications and Experience

 Education

• An advanced university degree in any of the following: Economics, political science, sociology, international relations, public administration, development studies or other relevant fields.

Work Experience and skills

• At least 15 years of relevant experience, including working directly in post-conflict environments;
• Demonstrated practical experience in disarmament, demobilization and reintegration at the senior management level is essential;
• Solid experience in the design and implementation of successful DDR programme
• Proven capacity  for technical and advisory function at a senior level at government or the UN agencies and in a complex transitional and politically sensitive environment
• Excellent computer literacy;
• Excellent command of English is essential, written and oral;
• Knowledge of the political and economic situation in Nigeria is highly desirable;
• Previous military experience in a joint context would be an advantage;