This role is for a Legal and Institutional Officer specializing in Natural Resources and Environmental Law, operating under the direct supervision of the Project Team Leader at the African Union - InterAfrican Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR). This position is crucial for achieving the objectives of the Project ‘Conserving Aquatic Biodiversity in African Blue Economy’ by focusing on legal, policy, and institutional aspects related to aquatic biodiversity conservation and environmental governance across the African continent.
Job Description Summary
Under the direct supervision of the Project Team leader at AU-IBAR, the incumbent will undertake the following targeted areas of work to achieve the objectives of the Project:
- Provide technical support relating to the Legal, Policy and Institutional aspects of the Project.
- Strengthen capacity for effective participation of African stakeholders in Continental and Global Fora on aquatic biodiversity and environmental management.
- Support to drafting of MoUs, Protocols or Agreements for Regional cooperation on transboundary issues in shared aquatic ecosystems for biodiversity conservation and environmental management.
- Strengthen Continental capacity on prioritized Global Instruments relevant to aquatic biodiversity, climate change mitigation and environmental issues for informed decision making on implementation, domestication or ratification.
- Strengthen Continental capacity on prioritized Continental and Global fora for effective participation of African stakeholders for African coordinated position.
- Support the coordination and participation of African Union stakeholders to identified Continental and Global fora related to aquatic biodiversity conservation, climate change mitigation and environmental management for informed decision making on ratification, domestication and implementation.
- Support to strengthening capacity development and implementation of relevant transboundary tools for conservation of aquatic biodiversity and environment management.
- Support to enhancing capacity of stakeholders along identified regional value chain for aquatic biodiversity.
- Any other duty as may be assigned by the Project Team Leader.
Academic Requirements
The incumbent should have a Minimum of a Master’s degree in Marine or Ocean Policy, Conservation Biology, Environmental Sciences. A qualification in Public Policy or Law will be an added advantage.
General Experience
- Record of working experience with and/or familiarization with Regional Economic Communities and specialized Regional institutions with mandates related to management of aquatic biodiversity and environmental management.
- Familiarization of Continental and Global Instruments related to aquatic biodiversity and environment.
- Experience in formulation or supporting formulation of Policies, Strategies, Frameworks, regulations to support governance of transboundary aquatic ecosystems in Africa.
- Experience in promoting harmonized frameworks for management of transboundary aquatic ecosystems.
- Record of familiarization with and knowledge on Continental and Global Fora related to aquatic biodiversity and environmental governance.
Specific Experience
- Record of experience in drafting MOUs, Rules of Procedures, Legislations at National and Continental levels in Africa.
- Proven record of supporting effective participation of African Union stakeholders in Continental and Global fora for coordinated African positions.
- Experience of supporting development of mechanism and capacity building of AU Member States and Regional institutions in negotiation skills for effective participation in Continental and Global initiatives.
- Evidence of collaborating with regional institutions to support AU Member States to formulate harmonized strategies for rational management of transboundary freshwater and Marine ecosystems.
- Evidence of publications of issues of domestication of relevant Global Instruments on aquatic biodiversity conservation.
