Terms of Reference – For Consultant Standards and Trade Expert to Support AU-IBAR 312 views1 applications

Background

The African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR) is a specialized technical office of the Department of Rural Economy and Agriculture (DREA) of the African Union Commission (AUC). AU-IBAR is mandated to support and coordinate the sustainable development and utilization of animal resources (livestock, fisheries and wildlife) to enhance nutrition and food security and contribute to the wellbeing and prosperity of the people in the Member State of the AU. AU-IBAR accomplishes its mandate through supporting and empowering the African Union Member States and the Regional Economic Communities (RECs). AU-IBAR’s vision is of an Africa in which animal resources contribute significantly to the reduction of poverty and hunger. Founded in 1951 to study the epidemiological situation and fight rinderpest in Africa, AU-IBAR’s mandate covers all aspects of animal resources, including livestock, fisheries and wildlife, across the entire African continent, but fills a unique and strategic niche by working at continental and regional levels, with the RECs being key partners.

AU-IBAR’s key areas of interventions include:

1. Improving animal health, disease prevention and control systems
2. Enhancing animal resource production systems and ecosystem management
3. Improving access to inputs, services and markets for animals and animal products

Recognizing the important role of sanitary and phytosanitary (SPS) standards in protecting public health and safeguarding safe trade, AU-IBAR created the Standards and Trade Secretariat for Animal Health and Food Safety.

The Secretariat is a permanent SPS coordination mechanism established to:

• Strengthen, sustain and improve the quality of participation of African Union Member States in the work of the OIE, CAC and the WTO SPS Committee;
• Protect Africa’s interest by facilitating dialogue and strengthening AU Member States’ capacity to negotiate in international fora on animal health, food safety and trade;
• Facilitate trade in animals and animal products by promoting domestication, enforcement and compliance with SPS standards particularly within the domain of animal health and food safety;
• Contribute to job and wealth creation through agribusiness incubation and management.

As part of its coordination strategy and considering the high demand from Member States and RECs for SPS support, AU-IBAR seeks the services of a Consultant standards and trade expert with knowledge and broad range of competencies to provide technical support to AU-IBAR, RECs and Member States on standards and trade related aspects on food safety and animal health in relation to animals and animal commodities.

Objective

The objective of the consultancy is to assist the Coordinator of the Standards and Trade Secretariat in providing technical support to enhance the implementation of key aspects of the Secretariat.

Tasks

• Support planning, development, and coordination of the approved activities related to food safety, animal health and trade, including the organization of expert meetings and workshops;
• Provide technical support and guidance to Member States for the prioritization of commodities/food and draft project documents developed for Codex regional standards setting;
• Provide technical support and guidance for the evaluation of National Food Control Systems in Member States using relevant internationally accepted evaluation tools and standards;
• Provide technical support and guidance to Member States in regional, and inter-regional dialogues on food safety standard;
• Support coordination of activities for the identification, selection and designation of African institutions as AU Reference Laboratories and Collaborating Centres for Food Safety;
• Provide technical support and guidance to Member States and RECs to facilitate operationalization of Annex 7 of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) within the context of trade in animal resources;
• Provide technical support and guidance to Member States on institutional building for enhanced enforcement and compliance with sanitary standards.

Expected Outputs and Deliverables

The following are the expected outputs:

• An inception report including the methodology and the work plan to undertake the tasks
• Priority list of commodities and project documents for at least 6 of the priority commodities developed;
• Evaluation conducted on the state of play of national food control systems for at least 30 Member States and evaluation report published;
• Technical progress reports negotiations supported;
• Detailed technical reports submitted upon completion of each task;
• A final report on the assignment.

Qualifications

Masters degree in food safety, food science or food technology, animal health, biochemistry, microbiology, or trade is required. A first level university degree with a demonstrated solid experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree.

General Professional Experience

• At least seven years proven working experience and management in the food safety sector;
• Experience in dealing with senior government, regional and international organizations’ on food safety, animal health and trade issues;
• High standards of personal integrity and professional work skills;
• Effective written, oral and presentation skills, particularly the ability to present information in a concise and accurate manner;
• Ability to plan and organize work within a project and ability to make timely decisions;
• Experience in conducting and facilitating dialogue and developing consensus among stakeholders (in the field of food safety, animal health and trade) with varying points of view;
• Good networker with the ability to maintain a positive and fruitful dialogue and relationship with the main institutions operating on the continent.

Specific Professional Experience

• Conversant with international standard setting organizations’ (CAC and OIE) and WTO SPS procedures and cycles.
• A good understanding of the priority food safety hazards and food control systems in the different regions of Africa;
• Proven experience in facilitating the design and implementation of food safety management strategies at national, regional and continental levels;
• A deep understanding of food safety hazards with at least three years’ experience in supporting the formulation and validation of national, regional or continental strategies for their prevention or control;
• Experience in the application of the key tools and CAC standards for the prevention and control of food safety hazards;
• Have undergone training on food safety risk assessment, HACCP or food safety management system and its application to improve food safety;
• Experience in working in the cross disciplinary boundaries of food safety, animal health and trade;
• Experience in organizing and facilitating stakeholder consultations and preparation of reports/ proceedings;
• Proven record of scientific publications in refereed journals.

Skills and Competencies

• Excellent oral and written communication skills
• Self-starter with the ability to strategically plan own work and to work independently, with minimum supervision, to high professional standards
• Knowledge and experience of using participatory approaches

Language Requirement

Proficiency in English, and a working knowledge of French, Arabic, and Portuguese will be an added advantage.

Gender Mainstreaming

The AU Commission is an equal opportunity employer and qualified women are strongly encouraged to apply.

Duty Stations

The consultant will be stationed in Nairobi with travel on specific assignments agreed with AU-IBAR Management.

Duration

The duration of this assignment is 6 months. The selected candidate should be available to undertake this assignment with minimum delay.

Remuneration

The remuneration for this Consultancy is a fixed amount of USD 6,820 per month. Expenses for missions will be covered separately in accordance with the applicable African Union Commission rules and regulations.

Evaluation Criteria

The applications will be evaluated on the basis of the relevant technical qualifications, experience and competence of the candidates.

Application Deadline

The deadline for submission of application is 18^th March 2020, 15.00 hours, Nairobi Local Time.