Application Deadline: August 17, 2024 at 11:59 p.m (Addis Ababa time)
The Economic Commission for Africa (ECA), a regional arm of the United Nations in Africa, is inviting applications for bright young Africans for skills and capacity development, training and mentorship through a fellowship programme within ECA’s work programme. This fellowship initiative is in line with the Commission’s effort to assist member States develop their capacities in economic and social policy research, development, implementation, analysis, governance, and monitoring and evaluation. The fellowship aims at developing a new crop of young African intellectuals with strong policy making knowledge and capacity in supporting African countries in the process of economic and social transformation and development.
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.
Qualified young professionals from these thematic areas are invited:
- Industrialization and Economic Diversification Policies;
- Macroeconomic policy, Development Planning, Economic Governance & Public
Finance; - 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;
- Data and Statistics Management
- Climate Change & Management of Natural Resources, including Green Economy;
- Labor Economics and Employment
- Communication, Advocacy, Media Relations
- Knowledge Management, Information Management and Librarianship
- Strategic Planning, Foresight Analysis, Monitoring and Evaluation, Partnership and
- Resource Mobilization
- Administration, Human Resource, Budget and Financial Management
- Organizational Behavior and Change Management
- Risk Management and Corporate Policy
Roles/Responsibilities
- Responsible for 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.
Eligibility
- Education: 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, business administration and related field is required.
- Experience: 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.
- 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.
Requirements
- In-depth knowledge and understanding of socio-economic and political development issues; conceptual and strategic ability to analyze and evaluate critical matters pertaining to socio-economic and political issues in Africa.
- Speaks and writes clearly and effectively.
- Works collaboratively with colleagues to achieve organizational goals;
Conditions of Fellowship
- The candidate applying for this fellowship programme must be 35 years of age or below, at the time of the application
- The candidate must be a national of a member State of the Economic Commission for Africa
- The candidate must have graduated before 1 July 2024 from either a master’s degree or doctorate degree programme, or equivalent
- The candidate should have interest in one or more of the identified thematic areas The selected candidate will work on a predefined project, designed to contribute tospecific aspects of the work programme of the mentoring Division, Sub-Regional Office or ECA Centres, and contribute to other activities
- The selected candidate should participate in national, regional or international meetings as assigned for exposure
- The selected candidate should submit and present at a seminar a peer reviewed research paper at the end of the assignment
- The selected candidate will be part of an alumni association of ECA Fellows and member of practicing international development “community of practice”.
Application Details
- UN Administratieve Profile (AP) in PDF format, including a motivation statement (cover letter) within the AP
- A research proposal of not less than 1,000 words (in candidate’s preferred thematic area listed above)
- Candidate must clearly indicate the thematic area of choice at the top of the research proposal document
- Three letters of reference/recommendation
Submissions should be emailed to Re**************@un.org , with subject line “ECA Fellowship for Young African Professionals, 2024“.
