Regional Coordinator/Investment Expert for the Nile River Basin Investment Program (NR-BIP) (Nile-Sec) At Nile Basin Initiative

Background

The Nile-SEC has embarked on its five-year Basin Wide Program (2022 – 2027 (BWP II) implementation with substantial component on transboundary water resources management. The BWP II covers strategic goals of water security, agricultural water management, environmental sustainability, climate change and transboundary water governance.

One of the key result areas NBI Secretariat implemented Basin Wide Program focuses on the Nile River Basin Investment Program. With the financial support of the Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through the German Society for International Cooperation (GIZ), the NBI has prepared Nile River Basin Investment Program (in short, the NR BIP).

Nile River Basin Investment Program (NR BIP).

The Nile River Basin Investment Program is a high-visibility flagship regional program of jointly identified transformative investment projects that are aimed at driving climate-resilient socio-economic development of the Nile River Basin while reversing environmental degradation within its watershed. The NR-BIP embraces a broader perspective of the role of river basins in fostering regional peace and socio-economic development.

The Nile River Basin Investment Program provides a means for identifying, prioritizing, marketing, mobilizing resources for, coordinating implementation and monitoring and evaluating investment projects drawn from multiple sectors and sources, including the countries, RECs, RBOs and other actors in the Nile Basin. The investment projects portfolio of the NR-BIP, shall be endorsed and championed by the Heads of State and Government of the NBI member countries.

The NR-BIP will make interventions in a broad range of fields grouped under four thematic areas, namely: (1) water security and climate resilient water resource management; (2) food security and agricultural water management; (3) energy security: regional power trade; hydropower generation, other renewable energy source; and (4) environmental sustainability. The long-term goal of the NR-BIP is the NBI Share Vision Objective, which is: “to achieve sustainable socioeconomic development through the equitable utilization of, and benefit from, the common Nile water resources.”

The NR-BIP is important because it helps to (a) scale up investments and deliver increased benefits to the Nile riparian countries in terms of socio-economic development, poverty reduction, job creation, livelihood improvement, water, food and energy security, capacity building, (b) improve coordination and develop synergies amongst regional organizations thereby leading to avoidance of duplication and greater efficiency in resource use); (c) support the achievement of greater integration across water-related sectors and to more sustainable development; (d) contribute to build trust and confidence and deepening Nile cooperation amongst Nile riparian countries; (e) support regional integration through cooperatively planned and managed water infrastructure, regional power trade, navigation and trade in agricultural products.

NBI is now establishing the BIP Program Coordination function at Nile-Sec**.** The core functions will involve: (i) BIP Strategy Development, (ii) Coordination of BIP portfolio development and project selection (iii) support for the BIP Steering Mechanisms (iv) Support to Resources Mobilization, Communicating & Marketing (v) BIP Monitoring and Reporting

1. Key responsibilities

The regional BIP Coordinator/Investment Expert shall be based within the Nile Secretariat at Entebbe, Uganda and will be responsible for management of the NR-BIP activities within the NBI with support from the NR-BIP Task Team. Specific responsibilities for the NR-BIP Coordinator are:

• management of the BIP Task within the BWP/Nile-Sec, including preparation of annual work plans and budgets as well as progress monitoring and reporting
• provide secretariat services to the NR-BIP Task Team and Regional Technical Working Group including the preparation of meetings, documentation of proceedings, development and monitoring of joint annual program of work, support member RECs+LRBOs in reporting to their respective governance meetings, monitoring of the NR BIP acti
• coordinate the BIP portfolio development, including compiling candidate projects, developing and applying methods for project selection
• develop communication of the BIP e.g. through BIP documents, advocacy and marketing materials, web and social media communication and other suited approaches.
• develop and implement strategy for resource mobilization support for the projects included in the BIP with the respective project implementing agencies, such as.
• develop lead multilateral bank partnership for the BIP, such as through AfDB, ICA, etc.
• maintaining an information system for the NR-BIP based on the African Infrastructure Database (AID) and web-dashboard of the NR-BIP.
• produce the annual state of the BIP investment portfolio report
• manage capacity building on topics related to the BIP for member countries.

1. Academic /Professional Qualifications & Experience

• At least a Masters’ degree in a relevant academic field such as economics, investment banking, financial management or water/energy infrastructure engineering.
• 10 years working experience (5 of which are post master’s degree experience) in areas of infrastructure development, infrastructure financing and program management.
• 5 years of work experience in infrastructure development in Africa working on transboundary water or energy resources projects in a regional context e.g. working with RECs, L/RBOs, AU (including NEPAD-AUDA) or regional development banks.
• Demonstrable experience of working in projects funded by multilateral development banks/international financial institutions
• Proven track record of the coordination and facilitation of high-level political processes at REC/RBO level or on the African continent
• Experience with the Nile Basin cooperation process is an added advantage
• Excellent written and verbal communications skills in English
• Strong computer skills (Microsoft Office, internet research, web and social media, other digital tools)

1. Implementation setup

The Coordinator/Investment Expert shall be contracted by Nile-SEC and will work closely with NBI centers and LVBC under the overall supervision of the DED-HBWP/WRM of the Nile-SEC. The regional hydrological monitoring expert reports to the DED-HBWP/WRM or his designate.

1. Duration

The duration of the employment shall initially be 2.5 years (with a six months’ probation period) renewed annually based on satisfactory performance.