Public affairs/ Strategic Director – GOGIN 2 – Maritime Security in the Gulf of Guinea (M/W) Full Time

      EXPECTED EXPERTISE TO BE DELIVERED

1. general objective of the mission

The general objective of the mission is to support at a political level the transfer of ownership of YARIS to the Yaoundé Architecture (YA) and to represent the GoGIN project before its partners located in the Gulf of Guinea.

2. Specific objectives

Specific objective 1: Political awareness is raised among the YA and its members States to convince them of the interest of YARIS as a key-tool for the maritime security in the GoG and support them in identifying the transfer modalities (governance) of Yaris ownership. As a results, the later are engaged in YARIS transfer of ownership from EF to the YA.

Specific objective 2: Strategic cooperation with partners and donors located in the Gulf of Guinea is facilitated, by ensuring that the donor, beneficiaries and partners’ needs are met, and that stakeholders at the highest level are well coordinated.

3. Description of the tasks to be assigned

a.       Defining talking points and an advocacy strategy at a political level according to the project strategy.

b.      Identification of relevant points of contact through the YA and the YA member States.

c.       Preparation and execution of high level meetings and missions.

The Gulf of Guinea (GoG) has become a global hotspot for maritime criminality, with a wide range of threats ranging from piracy, armed robbery to kidnap-for-ransom, oil theft and bunkering, different forms of smuggling and trafficking and Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated (IUU) fishing, environmental degradation and security at ports. Despite recent improvements, coastal countries and regional institutions still need to enhance their capacities to be better equipped to address these challenges in line with the Yaoundé Code of Conduct.

Since 2016, the “Gulf of Guinea Inter-regional Network” (GoGIN) project, funded by European Union (EU) and implemented by Expertise France (EF) has been contributing to maritime safety and security in the region. This has been done through GoGIN provided technical support to the Yaoundé Architecture (YA) maritime structures including regional and zonal centres, and national bodies in charge of fighting illicit activities at sea. The support has focused mainly on promoting information exchange and coordination between countries in order to enhance collective Maritime Domain Awareness (MDA), defined as the understanding of the situation at sea, and enhancing response to incidents at sea. To this end, in 2020, GoGIN designed, in close collaboration with the Yaoundé Architecture Heads of Institutions, and developed the “Yaoundé Architecture Regional Information System” (YARIS), a web-based information exchange and coordination platform. YARIS has since then gained significant support from the GoG and international maritime security community and its deployment is one of the major contributions of the EU to the Yaoundé Architecture. The platform has been deployed across the region and currently almost all maritime centres of the YA (national and supranational) have received an initial training on YARIS.

Funded by EU and implemented by EF, GoGIN II aims to continue and enhance the work initiated by GOGIN (included its extension under GOGIN+), which ends in April 2023. Its overall objective is to contribute to improve maritime safety and security in the Gulf of Guinea in order to favour blue economy and economic development of the countries. GOGIN II’s specific objective is to make the YARIS maritime information-sharing and coordination platform operational, handed over to the Gulf of Guinea region, fully used and functioning.

To achieve these objectives, Expertise France will conduct large-scale capacity building and mentoring activities to maritime administrations and agencies of the 19 coastal states (national networks) and the centres of the Yaoundé Architecture. Moreover, YARIS will be technically enhanced based on users’ needs and YARIS Steering Committee’s guidance.

The international and regional actors, such as Maritime Domain Awareness for Trade – Gulf of Guinea (MDAT-GoG), the EU Coordinated Maritime Presence (CMP) and the individual EU Member States will be encouraged to connect and use YARIS. Finally, in order to ensure the sustainability of the system, the Action will work towards the handover of the legal ownership of YARIS to the Yaoundé Architecture, along with a transfer of competences. The ownership of YARIS by the regional structure is the defining feature of the system compared to other MDA tools being used in the region.

Number of expert(s): 1

Duration: Full time / 12 months (renewable)

Professional profile:

General ans specific professional experience

·   A minimum of 10 years of overall working experience in diplomacy / international cooperation.

·   Working experience in the Gulf of Guinea (from Senegal to Angola) and with main stakeholders (YA) is fundamental.

·      Working experience related to maritime security (at an operational or political level).

Qualification and skills

·       Excellent communication skills;

·       Sense of diplomacy;

·       Persuasiveness;

·     Fluent in spoken and written English and French / Portuguese or Spanish speaking is a strong asset;

·       Strong team spirit;

·       Solution provider;

·       Adaptability;

·       Stress resistance;

·       Regional and international mobility is viewed as essential for the completion of several expected tasks;

·       Good knowledge of the Gulf of Guinea strategic issues;

·       Relevant professional experience within the EU institutions is an asset;

·       Sound qualifications in Maritime Security and/or Naval operations is an asset;

·       A good knowledge of YARIS issues is an asset.

       SELECTION CRITERIA

Eligibility criteria

·       Sound qualification in diplomacy;

·       A minimum of 10 years of overall working experience in diplomacy / international cooperation;

·       A good knowledge of the maritime security and the YA;

·      Knowledge of the region and main stakeholders;

·       A good knowledge of English and French.

Criteria to establish a shortlist of candidates for interviews (60 pts)

·       High level experience in diplomacy/ international cooperation (30 points).

·       Experience in and knowledge of the Gulf of Guinea (15 points)

·      Good knowledge of main stakeholders in the region (5 points).

·       Experience in maritime security (10 points).

Selection criteria during interviews (40 pts)

·       Fluent in spoken and written French and English (10 points).

·       Excellent communication skills (15 points).

·       Teamwork: team spirit, solution provider, adaptability, stress resistance (15 points).

Location:  based in EF office in Abidjan; many missions to be planned in the Gulf of Guinea

geographical scope: All of Gulf of Guinea countries (19 from Senegal to Angola)

Type of contract: CDDU

Period of implementation: 12 months renewable (end of project 30/04/2025)

Start of activities : as soon as possible

Deadline for application : 10/12/2023 23:55