The consultant will support the national visioning exercise to update the NSDF document with the aim at improving the general spatial planning framework in Guinea through participatory approaches and implement key milestones of the SANITA project with high quality standards. The consultant will also implement the participatory component of the National Urban Planning and Governance Capacities Assessment at Local and National level, the execution of the Cooperation Agreement with ISAU and the design of the training cycle for SPAT towards capacity strengthening and knowledge management purpose.
Conakry
6 months
Organizational Setting
UN-Habitat, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities. It is the focal point for all urbanization and human settlement matters within the UN system.
Guinea has an urbanization rate that is in line with the African average: 37% in 2014 according to United Nations reports (UNDESA, 2014). This figure, which was 28% in 1990, is likely to reach 56% by 2050, that is to say that the urban population estimated at 4.4 million in 2014 will increase by 67.9% and will reach 13.7 million in 2050. The country is moving towards urban transition and needs to prepare. To this end, appropriate measures must be taken, implemented and regularly monitored by the authorities and the population in order to improve the ongoing urbanization process, both in Conakry and in secondary or tertiary cities and in the villages. The new neighbourhoods that constitute the predominant landscape in many urban agglomerations are generally composed of precarious and unhealthy dwellings and suffer from a lack of local public services and the absence of an integrated and well-functioning sanitation system.
With a view to contributing to the improvement of urban living conditions in Guinea, the European Union in collaboration with the Government of Guinea has adopted urban sanitation as a focal sector in the National Indicative Program (PIN) of the 11th European Development Fund (EDF). The urban development and sanitation program in Guinea (abbreviated SANITA) jointly decided by the two stakeholders is divided into two specific objectives namely: (i) strengthen urban governance at local and national level that will be realized with the technical support of UN-Habitat (component 1); and (ii) improve the access of urban populations in the Conakry and Kindia neighborhoods to basic sanitation services with the support of the Belgian development agency "Enabel" (Component 2).
Component 1 has been approved for a period of 3 years and is placed under the tutelage of the Ministry in charge of Towns and Territorial Development. The activities are carried out in collaboration with Enabel and with the participation of national and local public or private institutions including community organizations or civil society. Emphasis is being placed on the engagement of women and youth.
The expected results of this component are:
• Outcome 1 (R1): Institutional capacities for the implementation and monitoring of framework documents are strengthened;
• Outcome 2 (R2): A national urban policy defining the strategic orientations, roles and responsibilities of the different actors is developed and validated;
• Outcome 3 (R3): The implementation of the National Planning Scheme (SNAT) of 1991 is evaluated and new strategic orientations (white paper) defined and validated;
• Outcome 4 (R4): Capital city planning documents, with appropriate action plans taking into account aspects of climate change, are developed and validated in a participatory manner;
• Outcome 5 (R5): Priority pilot projects are developed and implemented through the creation or strengthening of inclusive consultation spaces and multi-actor dialogue.
Reporting line
The Consultant will work under the supervision of the CTA (Technical Advisor Chief) for Guinea Projects in Guinea.
Duties and responsibilities
The consultant will perform the following tasks:
i. Provide a report on activities related to the capacity assessment of the Ministry of Town and Regional Planning and Communes, notably organization and facilitation of a participative institutional diagnosis workshop, and focus groups with communes and civil society;
ii. Produce a report on the fourth technical steering committee session of the SANITA project;
iii. Liaise with civil society organisations in Greater Conakry and prepare partnership agreements for social mobilisation in relation with community planning;
iv. A draft on national progress report on the New Urban Agenda ; HABITAT III committee
v. Produce concept note/ terms of reference for a comprehensive analysis of the housing sector in Guinea and supply needs, incl. for vulnerable households;
vi. Finalise prep documentation for the 5-day visioning workshop with the aim to update the National Spatial Development Framework document (NSDF) through a participatory approach with the national counterparts and stakeholders, and provide organisational and facilitation support;
vii. Develop an outline for the training cycle to be delivered for SPAT members, and conceive one training session;
viii. Expand the virtual library in ISAU, and support the development of the physical library;
ix. Produce a research on national, regional and international Lab/ good practises and develop a concept for information and experience sharing with ISAU Lab;
x. Data collection of photos, GIS maps, geographical information, etc for the database of the project;
xi. Production of meetings notes and reports, stories, presentations, etc. (recurrent)
• Ability to work independently with a high degree of responsibility, in a flexible manner and often under pressure
• Ability to write project documents, organize event/workshop and conduct training
• Sound judgment and excellent analytical skills, ability to plan and organize work
Academic Qualifications: A Master's Degree in architecture, urban planning, social sciences, civil engineering, or related field is required.
Experience: At least two years progressive work experience in the field of urban development issues, project management and development or analyzing sector strategy and development plan is required. Working experience with the public administration and the educational/ university system in west Africa is required
Language: English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For the post advertised, fluency in oral and written French and English is required.
Professionalism:
• Demonstrates conceptual, analytical and evaluative skills to conduct research and analysis using various resources
• Demonstrates knowledge and understanding of urban planning in the context of western African countries
• Observes deadlines and achieving results
• Shows persistence when faced with difficult problems
Communication
• Speaks and writes clearly and effectively, listens to others
• Correctly interprets messages from others and responds appropriately
• Demonstrates openness in sharing information and keeping people informed
Teamwork:
• Ability to work collaboratively with colleagues to achieve agreed goals.
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.