GIZ
Junior Trade Advisor
Project: GIZ support to the AfCFTA in Malawi
Technical Lead: Component Leader
Disciplinary Lead: Component Leader
Assignment Period: Contract ends on 31.08.2024
Location: Lilongwe, Malawi
Brief Background
The Deutsche Gesellschaft ffcr Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH is the implementing agency of the Federal Republic of Germany for technical and international cooperation. It offers flexible, sustainable and effective solutions in political, economic and social change processes. Most of the work of GIZ is commissioned by the German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ). GIZ also operates on behalf of other German ministries as well as public and private bodies in Germany and abroad. These include the European Commission, the United Nations, the World Bank and governments of other countries.
The African Union (AU), established as a unique Pan African continental body, was charged with the responsibility to coordinate and provide overall guidance for the negotiations on the African Continental Free Trade Area (APCFTA).
The AICFTA entered into force on May 30. 2019 and implementation started in January 2021. The GIZ project in support of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) is head quartered in Addis baba and works in close collaboration with the Department of Trade and Industries (DTI) of the African Union, AfCFTA Secretariat, Member States and partners such as UNECA, the International Trade Centre (ITC) and a large number of African actors to support the content of free trade negotiations in the areas of trade in goods and services, trade facilitation, customs cooperation as well as on the investment protocol. The project also works on industrialization, e-commerce, women in trade, value chains, special economic zones and other trade-related issues. The project is part of the GIZ portfolio with the African Union in Addis Ababa under the direction of the GIZ Liaison Office to the AU. Due to the continental relevance of its mandate and range of tasks, the project increasingly cooperates with global and other regional GIZ projects, for instance with the East African Community (EAC) and African member states.
In Malawi, the project is supporting the negotiations and national implementation efforts and is working closely with the More Income and Employment in Rural Areas of Malawi (MIERA) programme. A national AICFTA implementation strategy has been set and structures have been established to implement the Boosting Intra-African Trade Agenda. The agenda seeks to address the key constraints and challenges of intra-African trade, while significantly increasing the volume and benefits of trade for sustainable economic growth and development.
The main implementing partners for the Programme Support to the AfCFTA in Malawi are the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MoTI), the Malawi Investment and Trade Centre (MITC), as well as the Malawi Confederation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry (MCCCI).
Key activities under the Malawi component are, among others:
- Support in the implementation activities of the National AfCFTA Strategy
- Provide technical support to the Ministry of Trade on the negotiation preparations for Phase I & Ill issues
- Sensitization and training on Rules of Origin for customs and other relevant authorities and stakeholders
- Support Women Business Associations through the IC SheTrades initiative to develop gender sensitive policy recommendations
- Build capacity of private sector actors to comply with regional and international standards for exports of the selected value chains
The Tasks
- Supporting the Advisory services to public sector partners
- Assisting the technical advisors and other experts in carrying out specific research/technical tasks which are required for planning the implementation, monitoring and evaluation and knowledge management of the project.
- Assisting the technical advisors and other experts to support bilateral partners in Malawi in fostering their role in implementing the AfCFTA
- Supporting the organisation of events and trainings related to the AfCFTA
- Assisting with project coordination on various aspects of trade integration, including trade in goods, trade in services, trade facilitation and stakeholder involvement and possibly also industrialisation, value chain and other emerging topics
- Assisting with the organisation of events coordinated by the project
- Assisting with the liaison with the main political partner; the Ministry of Trade and Industry (MoTI)
- Supporting the adaptation of trainings to ensure relevance for Malawian context
- Supporting the coordination of events taking place in liaison with regional organisations such as ITC She Trades, UNCTAD and UNECA
- Supporting local and international consultants to ensure that all training materials are relevant for Malawi
- Supporting the AICFTA project boost Malawian institutions related to regional trade
- Supporting the coordination with organisations such as Malawi Investment and Trade Centre, and Malawi Confederation of Chamber of Commerce and Industry to boost public-private dialogue regarding the AfCFTA
- Supporting the coordination of any trainings where GIZ supports private businesses to attend trade fairs on the African continent
- Support with Internal communication, Monitoring and Evaluation and Knowledge Management
- Participate in the AfCFTA Teams meetings and bilateral exchanges with AfCFTA Advisors through the various project components and locations
- Supporting any links between the More Income and Employment in Rural Areas trade fair support and the AfCFTA trade fair support
- Boosting the knowledge of AfCFTA within GIZ Malawi team and working on synergies where possible with other GIZ Malawi projects
- Work with other GIZ projects and be familiar with GIZ internal procurement processes
- Supporting thorough and constructive Monitoring and Evaluation of the activities to ensure lessons learnt are integrated into future planning and success stories are shared and replicated
Qualifications required
- University degree (preferably Master’s level) in Economics, Trade Policy, Law or equivalent
- Minimum of one (1) or two (2) years of relevant professional experience
- Motivated team player with an organised, independent, systematic, proactive details and goal oriented work approach
- Proficient in spoken and written English
- Good working knowledge of ICT Technologies (related software, phone, fax, email, internet) and computer applications (MS Office)
- Strong interpersonal skills; work experience in an intercultural environment is an asset
- Strong managerial, organisational and social skills
- Willingness to upskill as required by the tasks to be performed
Method of Application
Interested candidates meeting the above requirements should submit their applications, with a one-page cover letter demonstrating how they meet the above requirements, along with a detailed CV (max. 5 pages) by 30th September 2022 to:
The Head of HR
GIZ
P.O. Box 31131
Lilongwe 3
Or email to: giz-malawi-hr@giz.de
GIZ is an equal opportunity employer. Women and people with disabilities who qualify are encouraged to apply.
With in its activities, GIZ is promoting and protecting human rights, health and wellbeing, and wishes to contribute to a world free from harm, exploitation and abuse. Prospective candidates should be willing to adhere to GIZ’s Child Protection Principles, and Prevent Sexual Exploitation, Abuse and Harassment Policy.