REQUEST FOR EXPRESSION OF INTEREST INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANT

AFRICAN DEVELOPMENT BANK

ZIMBABWE COUNTRY OFFICE (COZW)

Expressions of interest are invited for the following suitably qualified and experienced Individual Consultant position:

Title of Assignment : Consultant – Policy Reforms

Type of Contract : Individual Consultant

Brief Description of the Assignment : Support to COZW Dialogue and Programs – TA for Policy Reforms in Zimbabwe

Division Issuing Request : Zimbabwe Country Office (COZW)

Department :  Regional Development, Integration and Business Delivery-South (RDGS)

Duty Station : Harare, ZIMBABWE

Duration of Assignment : Six (6) Calendar Months

Tentative Commencement Date : 15 July 2021

ELIGIBILITY

  1. The position is open to nationals of one of the Member Countries of the African Development Bank Group. Interested applicants are encouraged to send an updated Curriculum Vitae and samples of past professional assignments, noting level of involvement and impact. These samples should either be hyper-links on the internet of attachments not exceeding a total of 5 MB.
  1. Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted. The call for proposal will require the same elements as the expression of interest. Both expression of interest and proposal may be submitted in either English or French language.
  1. Candidates are  encouraged  to  register  in  the  AfDB’s  Consultant  Database  (DACON) https://econsultant.afdb.org/sap/bc/webdynpro/sap/zdac_wd_login_page/#  if  they have not yet done so. Newly registered on DACON, please communicate the processing number after your DACON registration to the e-mail addresses below, so that your registration can be followed up and confirmed. Registration on DACON requires Internet Explorer (exclusively).
  1. The eligibility criteria, the establishment of a short list and the selection procedure shall be in conformity with the Bank’s Policy and Procedures for the recruitment of Corporate Consultants. Please note that interest expressed by a Consultant does not imply any obligation on the part of the Bank to include him/her in the shortlist.
  1. Expressions of interest must be received by e-mail at the addresses below no later than 09 July 2021 at 3 pm GMT and should mention Policy Reforms Consultant in the subject line of the If you do not receive a confirmation, email by 11 July 2021 pm UCT, your EOI might have not been received and you are invited to contact us by email for follow-up.

Applications to be submitted by EMAIL to  Ms. Fortunate MANUHWA [email protected]

TERMS OF REFERENCE (TOR)

Support to COZW Dialogue and Programs – TA for Policy Reforms in Zimbabwe

BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT

  • The African Development Bank’s (AfDB) Strategy on Addressing Fragility and Building Resilience in Africa (2014 – 2019/2021) gives a high premium to fragility-sensitive programming in fragile situations, as well as identifying levers of resilience in transition and post-conflict situations. Countries fall into fragility or transition state for various reasons including economic, political and climatic volatility. While Zimbabwe is currently classified as a country in transition given volatility of the aformentioned conditions, the country has also been under arrears/sanctions with the AfDB Group since 2000 when the country started accumulating arrears on its loan repayments.
  •  Zimbabwe’s mutually reinforcing economic, social and political crises have locked the country into a profound state of fragility. It is categorized as a “Category 1” country by the Bank reflecting high levels of risk and economic fragility. The Government has sought to reset the country on a path of reform, re-engagement and recovery. It has introduced an ambitious reform framework through a set of policy pronouncements and the National Development Strategy 2021-2025 designed to address macro-economic, financial stabilization and promote inclusive development. The focus is on economic and financial measures and related policy and institutional reform, designed “to stimulate domestic production, exporting, clearing arrears, rebuilding and transforming the economy out of fragility.” The programme’s success is also contingent on political stability and governance reform.
  •  Zimbabwe’s arrears situation is considered as one of the major challenges for the country to realize its development objectives. As part of its commitments to the country, as one of the lead institutions in the arrears clearance process, the Bank seeks to provide Technical Assistance (TA) in the implementation of reforms as well as the design of further reforms necessary for sustainable economic development.

OBJECTIVE OF THE CONSULTANCY

  • Part of the Zimbabwe Country Office (COZW) mandate is to provide advice to build the capacity of Zimbabwe to implement reforms for building resilience and better services to their populations. This will also help the Bank in scaling up its interventions in support of the development efforts in Zimbabwe.
  •  In this context, a TA is required to advise and support the COZW in its political economy analytical work with emphasis on supporting Zimbabwe’s implementation of requisite policy reforms that would help the country effectively address, among others, the arrears process and contribute to poverty alleviation and sustainable growth.
  • The goal for the TA is to identify policy areas that are critical for the achievement of macroeconomic stability, revival, acceleration of economic growth and effectively handle the arrears clearance process.

3    SCOPE OF WORK

3.1 The process will require extensive consultation with key stakeholders such as officials in government, relevant sector ministries and departments, civil society groups as well as Bank staff in Zimbabwe, international development partners and local NGOs operating in these areas. Travel to the country ‘may’ therefore be required in the performance of the services under this assignment.

  SPECIFIC TASKS OF THE ASSIGNMENT

The consultant will be expected to perform the following tasks:

  • Identify policies that have been approved for implementation, assess the capacity for successful implementation of such policies, identify the policy gaps and recommend necessary actions;
  • Evaluate the potential for maximizing complementarity of the AfDB’s support to the country in relation to what other partners are already doing in economic reforms and arrears clearance process;
  • Identify key stakeholders in capacity building in the country and what is needed with regards to policy making, implementation and monitoring and evaluation;
  • Identify key stakeholders in resilience building, propose interventions for strengthening local capacities to unblock institutional and technical shortcomings of the state to prevent relapses into crises;
  • Recommend an arrears clearance roadmap and strategic responses to be taken by the government and how the African Development Bank Group could assist in that process;
  • Identify critical policy, strategy and capacity gaps (institutional, financial and organizational), that may impede the achievement of the key policy formulation, institutional restructuring, and other economic and social goals envisaged by the government.

DUTIES AND RESPONSIBILITIES OF THE CONSULTANT

Under the direction of the Country Manager, COZW and supervision of the assigned Country Economist and Policy Analyst, the following will constitute the duties of the consultant:

  • Identify some “quick wins” in terms of reforms and policies that could bring immediate relief to the population and hence provide a springboard to subsequent reforms;
  • Develop a priority list of reforms to support the short-term, medium-term and long-term socio-economic development needs of the country;
  • Develop a framework that would promote better coordination with other partners who are working in country;
  • Provide country specific updates on issues where urgent decision on the Bank’s interventions are required;
  • Interface with COZW experts on ongoing work and programs; and
  • Respond to any other related and pertinent matters at the request of the Country Manager COZW or Senior Management of the Bank.

DELIVERABLES

6.1 The expected deliverables under this contract are:

  • Within the first week of the assignment, a concept note highlighting major deliverables to be delivered with a concise roadmap for delivering the same;
  • A matrix on the priority list of reforms, their sequencing and resource needs to ensure successful implementation.
  • An analysis of the policy reform gap.
  • An arrears clearance roadmap.
  • A detailed report, including strategic recommendations to the AfDB.

REPORTING RELATIONSHIP

7.1 The Consultant will report to the Country Economist and Policy Analyst, while the Country Manager will provide strategic guidance on the overall task.

SELECTION CRITERIA

  • Minimum of a Master’s Degree in Economics, Political science or related field to economic/international development or any other relevant discipline.
  • Minimum of Fifteen (15) years of experience in international development, international finance, debt management and civil society engagement.
  • Must have proven experience in policy design and implementation in transition states.
  •  Proven ability to provide input into high-quality in-depth reports and papers and targeted briefing notes in order to guide the policy and decision-making organs of international organizations is critical.
  • Familiarity with the work of the African Development Bank in its member countries.
  • Ability to work in teams toward a common goal, making significant contributions to the team’s work, while sharing information within the team.
  • Ability to apply innovative approaches, work independently and apply new methods to solve problems, while remaining efficient in a fast-paced, changing and challenging institutional environment.
  • Ability to communicate and write effectively in English.

DURATION OF CONTRACT 

This assignment is expected to support the arrears clearance process that the African Development Bank is pursuing. It is therefore expected that the TA program is completed within a period of six (6) months from the date of contract signature. The consultancy service shall commence on 15 July 2021 for a period of 6 months ending 15 January 2022

 

  • MISSIONS 

Mission(s) to RMCs, where necessary shall be undertaken by consultant and the full cost of such missions (airfare, accommodation and per diem) paid by the Bank in accordance with the Travel Policy of the Bank.

  • REMUNERATION 

The Consultant will receive a monthly all-inclusive fee to be negotiated upon contract signature, and in compliance with the Bank’s established remuneration scale, considering requisite qualifications and experience. No additional benefits or per diems will be paid while in Harare. The Bank will cover full costs of any required missions and provide per-diem in accordance with rules governing consultant mission travel. The Consultant is responsible for his/her own health insurance and accommodation costs.