Principal Officer – Market Access At CTG

CTG overview:

• CTG staff and support humanitarian projects in fragile and conflict-affected countries around the world, providing a rapid and cost-effective service for development and humanitarian missions. With past performance in 17 countries – from the Middle East, Africa, Europe, and Asia, we have placed more than 20,000 staff all over the world since operations began in 2006.
• CTG recruits, deploys and manages the right people with the right skills to implement humanitarian and development projects, from cleaners to obstetricians, and mechanics to infection specialists, we’re skilled in emergency response to crises such as the Ebola outbreak in West Africa. Key to successful project delivery is the ability to mobilise at speed; CTG can source and deploy anyone, anywhere, in less than 2 weeks and have done so in 48 hours on a number of occasions.
• Through our efficient and agile HR, logistical and operational services, CTG saves multilateral organisations time and money. We handle all our clients’ HR related issues, so they are free to focus on their core services.
• Visit www.ctg.org to find out more

Overview of position:

• The African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) Secretariat is the sole organization in the continent, legally established & mandated to handle the rules of trade between African countries. At the core is the implementation of the agreement establishing the AfCFTA (thereafter “AfCFTA agreement”), negotiated, signed & ratified by the state parties. The goal is to ensure that trade is conducted smoothly, predictably & as freely as possible across the continent. The AfCFTA Secretariat, which is headquartered in Accra – Ghana at the Africa Trade House, was established in February 2020 following the election of its first Secretary General.
• The AfCFTA agreement was signed at an extraordinary session of the assembly of the African Union (AU) in Kigali, Rwanda on 21 March 2018. The agreement sets out a continental system of trade rules, acts as a platform for negotiating trade protocols, facilitates the settlement of disputes between state parties & monitors the implementation of the AfCFTA agreement. Furthermore, the AfCFTA agreement is a framework agreement, with comprehensive coverage of trade in goods, trade in services, investment, competition policy, intellectual property rights, women, youth in trade & digital trade as well as rules & procedures for the settlement of disputes.
• The effective implementation of the AfCFTA was set in motion in January 2021 with the launch of the commencement of trading. However meaningful trade has not commenced on account of incomplete negotiations of the tariff offers, even though the deadline for this was June 30th, 2021. So far only 44 member states (including members of customs unions) have submitted tariff offers. Only a few of the offers meet the adopted modalities for trade in goods. Siliarly only 35 members states have submitted schedules of commitment to services liberalization. The too fall short of the modalities.The delay is causing anxiety to the business operators. It is critical that the tariff liberalization offers & the schedules of commitment for services liberalisation be concluded in accordance with the adopted modalities.
• It is against this background that the AfCFTA Secretariat seeks to engage the services of the Principal Officer – Market Access to develop strategies to support the member states & the customs unions in making meaningful offers on the basis of the adopted modalities for trade in goods & trade in services.

Role objectives:
The Consultant Market Access is to support the member states & customs unions in making meaningful offers on the basis of adopted modalities for trade in goods & trade in services. The Consultant will be supervised by the Chief Technical Advisor – Negotiations under the Office of the SecretaryGeneral on the following tasks, among others:

• Develop policy guidelines on tariff reduction scheduling as per agreed modalities on trade in goods.
• Develop policy guidelines on scheduling commitments as per agreed modalities on trade in services.
• Facilitate negotiations as well as implementation of phase I under the AfCFTA agreement.
• Undertake subject specific research & analysis of areas of concern to member states as well as on emerging issues in implementation of the tariff reduction program.
• Prepare policy papers for the effective coordination of policy related activities on market access at the AfCFTA Secretariat.
• Perform any other duties as may be required from time to time.

Project reporting:

• This assignment will be carried out under the supervision of the Chief Technical Advisor – Negotiations in the Office of the Secretary General.
• Interested consultants must provide information indicating that they are qualified to provide the services.
• The eligibility criteria, establishment of a shortlist & selection procedure shall be in conformity with our clients procurement rules & procedures.

Key competencies:

• Master’s degree in Economics, Statistics, International Trade or Trade Law, Development Economics, International Relations.
• 12 years of experience in the area of trade policies, trade negotiations & implementation at national, regional or multilateral level.
• Practical experience in trade policy formulation, negotiation, implementation at the national & regional level.
• Experience in formulating development strategies & policies.
• Excellent public speaking & presentation skills.
• Good understanding of the internal procedures of the AfCFTA Secretariat as well as regional integration, trade & economic growth.
• Experience working on AU, RECs & other multilateral institutions on the continent.
• Capacity to communicate fluently with different stakeholders (civil society, govt. authorities, local communities, project staff).
• Full command of MS applications (Word, Excel, PowerPoint) & common internet applications will be required.
• Proficiency in one of the AfCFTA working languages (French, English, Portuguese, Arabic).
• Fluency in another AfCFTA working language(s) is an added advantage.
• Demonstrates integrity by modelling the Secretariat’s values & ethical standards.
• Promotes the vision, mission & strategic goals of Secretariat.
• Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, nationality, age sensitivity & adaptability.
• Treats all people fairly without favouritism.
• Fulfils all obligations to gender sensitivity & zero tolerance for sexual harassment.

Team management:

• This role has no team management responsibility

Further information:

• The Consultant will be based in Accra – Ghana, with travels to member states & the Regional Economic Communities (RECs).
• The duration of the assignment will be 245 days.
• Qualified female candidates are encouraged to apply for this role.