Posting Title: Urban Planner – National Economic Consultant
Department/Office: United Nations Human Settlements Programme
Duty Station: CAIRO
Posting Period: 30 July 2020 – 13 August 2020
Job Opening Number: 20-United Nations Human Settlements Programme-139109-Consultant
United Nations Core Values: Integrity, Professionalism, Respect for Diversity
Result of Service
The ultimate result of this service is to enable the Egyptian government with an evidence-based decision-making guiding tool for the strategic decisions on investments; An estimation of the costs and revenues of the execution of the project; An estimate calculation of the return on investment.
Work Location
Cairo, Egypt
Expected duration
The Consultancy will be for a period of 2 months.
Duties and
Responsibilities
Organizational Setting and Reporting
The United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) is mandated by the UN
General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable human settlements development and the achievement of adequate shelter for all.
Greater Cairo is facing many challenges in terms of the pressure on all public utilities, infrastructure, traffic, the environment and urbanization. The future vision and strategic trends for Greater Cairo were prepared through the Strategic Urban Plan for the Greater Cairo Region Project (SUP-GCR) during the period between 2007 and 2014 as a joint programme between GOPP, UNDP and UN-Habitat. A group of studies and plans were prepared which, when implemented, will improve the quality of life and achieve social justice for all segments and economic strata of the population.
Greater Cairo, which includes the geographic scope of the governorates of Cairo, Giza and the urban part of Qalioubiya is characterized by being one of the largest urban agglomerations in the world with a population of about 18 million. Greater Cairo hosts the headquarters of the government, government institutions, foreign embassies, prestigious universities, hospitals, national and international financial institutions, as well as the most famous and important world tourist sites.
The Strengthening Development Planning and Management in Greater Cairo project (SDPM-GCR) is based on the SUP-GCR findings. The SDPM-GCR Priority Development Projects will intervene to achieve the strategic objectives, as an active contribution to realizing the strategic vision for the development of Greater Cairo. The SDPM-GCR, therefore, aims at achieving sustainable urban development, social justice and economic competitiveness, as well as being environment-friendly for GCR development. Subsequently, the project will examine and implement viable and priority projects that will lead to achieving the overall strategic objective as well as the specific project objectives.
Goals, Objectives and Scope of Work
Several proposed priority projects in the Strategic Vision for Greater Cairo were identified to tackle the issue of addressing and limiting the unplanned growth in islands in the River Nile, including implementing development projects in Al-Warraq Island. The development projects will aim at improving the living conditions of the island dwellers, as well as improving shared prosperity its economic competitiveness and addressing the growing demand for recreational activities in the GCR.
Al-Warraq Island is an island in the River Nile in Giza, the total area of the island is 1470 Feddans and its population is approximately 50,000 inhabitants (2016). One of the main challenges faced by the island dwellers is the inadequate public services and the connectivity challenges (Until 2018, the island was not connected to the mainland with any bridges) that has prevented the island residents from accessing basic amenities such as clean water, sewage, basic health and education facilities as well as transportation. In 2016, many cases of informal trespassing took place on the island.
The developed Master Plan for the island, as well as detailed plans for a priority action area, show-specific interventions that accelerate the island development and enhance the land value. Given the prime location of the island and its potential, the Master Plan proposed the development of the island’s waterfront (Corniche) as an accessible public space through the use of different landscape elements to create a recreational space for the island’s residents as well as visitors.
Corniche, waterfront and promenade are being designed as one of the priority action areas. Thus a detailed and execution plan for a pilot area is developed, this area is 700 meters long and 30 meters wide and located in the northwest part of the island. The study conducted detailed landscape drawings and construction documents, detailed infrastructure networks, architecture drawings and bill of quantities (BOQ).
In the light of the above, the urban economist consultant is expected to develop an economic feasibility study on the selected pilot area to estimate the overall cost of the project execution, design alternative business models and predicted cost recovery and revenues from proposed activities that will be allocated in that area e.g. ‘restaurants, food Kiosks, Bazars and the recreational area …etc’. Moreover, it’s also expected that the economist will evaluate and select the business model to ensure the maximization of the revenues against the execution and operations costs to guarantee the sustainability of the development. It is expected that the consultant will extensively coordinate with onboard consultants for the development of the island and relative stakeholders and project partners.
Reporting Line
The Consultant will work under the supervision and lead of the programme Manager of the Strategic Urban Planning programme- UN-Habitat Egypt Office.
Duties and responsibilities
The Urban Economist will be responsible for the successful completion of 2 Phases and shall undertake the following tasks
Phase 1: Conduct the Inception Feasibility Study report for the development of Al-Warraq Island corniche ‘the pilot area’ that includes but not limited to the following:-
- Establish the economic and financial characteristics of the project (including its attractiveness to the private sector) including cost, demand and impacts
- Preliminary indicators of investment alternatives and selection criteria for the development of Al-Warraq Corniche.
- Business models for operation and evaluation matrix
Output 1:
- Inception Report on the preliminary economic feasibility study for the development of Al-Warraq island’s Corniche including the findings of phase one activities.
Phase 2:
- Selection for the proposed business model
- An estimate cost for constructions and operation phases;
- Analysis of the benefits/ costs of investment alternatives and cash flows;
- Propose the best mechanism for execution/operation (PPP, BOT … etc)
- Prepare the Business case for proposed projects with a solid case to both public and private sectors as a basis for the procurement of the private partner.
- Final economic feasibility study.
- Draft the ToR for the implementation and execution of the proposed development of Al Warrak’s corniche
Output 2:
- Final report on the preliminary economic feasibility study for the development of Geziret Al-Warraq corniche
- ToR for the implementation and execution of the proposed development of Al Warrak’s corniche
Qualifications/special skills
Academic Qualifications: University degree in Economics, Urban Planning and development or related field is required.
Experience: Minimum 5 years of professional practical experience working in the fields of economics, urban economy and/or economic feasibility studies is required. Experience in the local economic development is desirable. Familiarity working with Governmental instituations in the Arab Region preferably Egypt in the field of strategic urban planning and/ or local economic development is desirable.
Language: Fluency in oral and written Arabic is required. Knowledge of basic English is desirable
Additional Information
Evaluation Criteria
Evaluation of qualified candidates for this position will be based on a substantive assessment
Other desirable Skills: Excellent writing/Reporting skills.
Related Publications in the required field is desirable
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.
More Information
- Job City Cairo, Egypt