Call for Applications 2023 ECA Fellowship Program for Young African Professionals

Call for Applications 2023 ECA Fellowship Program for Young African Professionals

ECA is the regional arm of the United Nations in Africa. Its mandate is to promote the economic and social development of Africa. ECA’s dual role as a regional arm of the UN, and a part of the regional institutional landscape in Africa, positions it well to make unique contributions to member States’ efforts to address their development challenges. ECA has five sub-regional offices plus African Institute for Economic Development and Planning, (IDEP) across the Continent through which it supports regional development priorities and agenda and African countries in the realization of the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), Agenda 2030 and Agenda 2063 of the African Union.

ECA’s mission is to deliver ideas and actions for an empowered and transformed Africa; informed by the 2030 Agenda and Agenda 2063.

The mission is guided by the five strategic directions of the institution, which are; advancing ECA’s position as a premier knowledge institution in supporting evidence based policy making,; developing macroeconomic and structural policy options to accelerate economic diversification and job creation; designing and implementing innovative financing models for infrastructure, human, physical and social assets for transforming Africa; promoting regional integration and addressing transboundary issues and challenges,; advocating Africa’s position at the global level and developing regional responses as a contribution to global governance issues.

ECA is hereby inviting applications from qualified young African Professionals in the following thematic areas below:

Macroeconomic policy, development planning, Economic Governance & Public Finance;
Industrialization and Economic Diversification Policies;
Regional Integration; Infrastructure and Trade
Private Sector Development & Finance, including Innovative Finance & Capital Markets;
Poverty, Inequality and social policy;
Food systems and food security
Gender equality and women empowerment;
Demographic Dynamics for Development;
Innovation and Technology;
Climate Change &Management of Natural Resources, including Green Economy;
Labor Economics and Employment
Communication and strategic planning, monitoring and evaluation;

About the ECA Fellowship Programme 2023 for Young African Professionals

This Fellowship programme aims to provide practical, on-the-job experience to the young professionals in their early and middle career in the academy, public sector or international development in providing them exposure and learning in a multicultural environment of the UN and contribute to the work of ECA. It will also provide the candidates with the opportunity to familiarize with the Commission’s broad programmes and services to member States and subregional bodies in addressing economic and social dimensions of Africa’s development priorities. This should expectedly improve their skills, capacity and intellectual ability.

Responsibilities as Fellows:

Within delegated authority, the Fellows will be responsible for the following duties:

The Fellow(s) will agree to a work programme in the area of economic and social development defined mutually with the receiving/mentoring Division, Sub-Regional Office or Centre. The fellow(s) will contribute to the work of the Division, Sub-Regional Office or Centre by carrying out research, analytical studies, drafting reports and supporting other activities, as directed.

Assignments within the areas of focus may include, but are not limited to, collecting, evaluating, interpreting, and analyzing economic, social and political development issues in the focus areas. The fellow(s) will also contribute to technical and policy reports, briefing notes, and support in the organization and servicing of expert group meetings, workshops, and seminars; and fulfil various other administrative tasks for the effective delivery of the activities. The fellow(s) will be required to prepare a research paper and make presentation on it in the course of their fellowship.

Qualifications:

Educational Qualifications: Advanced university degree (Master’s Degree or doctorate or their equivalents) in economics, development studies, political economy, international affairs, political and social sciences, , peace and human security, public administration, law, minerals and natural resources, engineering, and related field is required.

Experienced Qualifications: Academic research or academic work related to the focus thematic areas is required. Experience in research/analytical work in socio-economic and political development, natural resource management/law, regional integration, infrastructure development, governance, peace and related areas in the context of Africa, either in the academia, private, public or civil society organizations, is an advantage.

Referred Language: English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the fellowship advertised, fluency in either language is required and working knowledge of the other is desirable. Knowledge of another official United Nations language is an advantage.

Special Notice
This 2023call is open only to nationals of the Economic Commission for Africa member States.