i.e. one weeks service 7 hours/day in the run up to any SLTA Core Group Meeting or equivalent hours

 Background

Development of the SLTA will be Government owned and responsive to the needs and perception of the population, through citizen participation, including women and youth. It is envisioned that national ownership will be ensured through the establishment of a SLTA Task Force (SLTA TF), chaired by the Ministry of the Interior, including diverse Ministries and featuring the participation of Ministers, Director Generals, or their delegates, at certain stages of its consultative process/drafting. The UN will be included in the SLTA TF in order to provide technical, logistical and financial support^[1]. The SLTA TF will be responsible for determining the structure and contents of the SLTA, drawing on existing literature and data, formulating information and research requests, conducting consultative processes with authorities and external actors (UN Integrated Office, World Bank, International Partners, academia, civil society and NGOs, amongst others) and ultimately for drafting, presenting and publishing the final document. The sharing of SLTA drafts will be undertaken by the Ministry of the Interior, in its capacity as Chair of the Governance Forum.

The SLTA consultative process is anticipated to be configured into 3 separate iterations (i.e. gradually expanding membership as the draft progresses and new areas of expertise is required), the SLTA Core Group as described below, and subsequent Ministerial Task Forces focused on Health and the Environment as well as the Economy and Infrastructure:

The SLTA ‘Core Group’ ensures oversight of the entire process, attends all SLTA meetings and maintains a technical focus on security and rule of law threats, strengths, weakness and opportunities. The Core Group will issue information and drafting requests to two thematic TF (see below) and consolidate the final product. As Chair, the Ministry of the Interior is responsible for preliminary approval and presenting to the Governance Sector Forum through the Security Working Group, as well as reporting to the Office of the President, which is ultimately responsible for the approval of the SLTA for publication. The Core Group will include the following:

• Ministry of the Interior     (Chair)
• Ministry of Foreign Affairs
• Ministry of Planning
• Ministry of Justice
• Ministry of Defense
• UNSOM/UNDP           (technical, logistical and financial support)
• SONSAF                         (advisor/observer)^[2]
• NAGAAD                       (advisor/observer)

The Ministry of the Interior, supported by UN participants, will form the Secretariat and may call upon others to assist. The Secretariat retains primary responsibility to draft the document in stages, and will solicit fact finding requests, and draft submissions of specific components to key Ministries and Civil Society representatives (in both the Core Group, the Health & Environmental and the Economic & Infrastructure Task Force), who in turn are responsible to respond to said requests. The Secretariat may also when required, assist key Ministries with research. The Secretariat is responsible for preparing the Agenda and presenting the status of the SLTA to the SLTA Core Group, Health & Environmental and the Economic & Infrastructure Task Force in all formal meetings to facilitate the consultation process. The Secretariat is also administratively responsible for any SLTA Core Group, Health & Environmental and the Economic & Infrastructure Task Force  meeting conducted outside the context of the Security Sector Working Group or the Governance Sector Forum, with JRoLP funding. Informal working meetings of the Secretariat should occur weekly at a minimum. Formal minutes will not be taken.

While the Ministry of the Interior in consultation with the Office of the President are responsible for the translation of the final draft to Somali (with financial support from the JRoLP), the Secretariat must review and report to the Ministry of the Interior to signal potential discrepancies for final decision by the Minister in his Capacity as Chair.

Description of Responsibilities

• The objective of the consultancy is to support the SLTA Secretariat, primarily in fact finding and research, and secondarily with drafting and post SLTA translation review.
• The Consultant plays and important quality control and advisory role in ensuring the credibility of the final product.

Scope of the assignment:

The Consultant will specifically focus on the following issues:

·         Advising on the initial structure of the document.

·         The collection of credible contemporary information concerning, but not limited to Security, Defence, Health and the Environment, Economics and Infrastructure, in consultation with Line Ministries, Academics and Civil Society.

·         Provide assistance to the SLTA Secretariat in the drafting and post translation review of the final document.

·         The consultant will liaise with and attend SLTA Secretariat meetings and SLTA Core Group meetings and will be responsible for any travel inside Hargeisa required.

·         The contract will abide by confidentiality considerations (see below).

·         The consultant will attend the first SLTA Core Group and provide 1 week’s (5 days) service in the run up to all subsequent Core Group Meetings (6 anticipated in the first 6 months), or equivalent hours.

The consultant should pay attention to the following criteria:

·         Credibility and cite-ability of sources, noting that the SLTA will be public document. While sources may not be cited in the final document, the Ministry of the Interior should be able to respond to any query as to the source of information.

·         Gender, sensibilities in research.

·         Sensitivity and diplomacy with Line Ministries, Civil Society Academic or other bodies from which information will be solicited.

·         The confidentiality of the project, i.e. both confidential sources but also the confidentiality of the SLTA, drafts of which are not to be shared prior to publication without the express permission of the Ministry of the Interior.

Outputs of the assignment:

The consultant is expected to produce the following:

·         Provide credible advice on the initial structure of the SLTA document.

·         The consultant is expected to support the Secretariat in seeking citable information sources on diverse matters (Security, Defence, Health, the Environment, Economics and Infrastructure), notably by seeking credible documentation or liaison with respective Ministries and Civil Society.

·         The consultant will in coordination with the Secretariat assume a portion of SLTA drafting responsibilities.

·         The consultant will play an important advisory role in ensuring quality control and credibility of the information in the document.

·         The consultant will assist the Secretariat in the review of the final translation (but is not responsible for the translation process).

·         Open source research and consultation with line Ministries and Civil Society. Participation in key meetings.

Institutional Arrangements

• The Consultant will report to and work with the SLTA Secretariat, i.e. Ministry of the Interior, UNDP and UNSOM staff in the context of the Joint ROL Programme.
• UNDP and UNSOM will share collectively gathered research material with the consultant.
• The work is home based. However, the consultant will be expected to travel within Hargeisa to consult with Civil Society and Ministerial Actors and to attend meetings. The consultant will be assisted by the Ministry of the Interior in the event of challenges accessing Government documents or sources and will be assisted by UNDP/UNSOM as regards access to UN premises if required.
• UNDP/UNSOM and the Ministry of the Interior with contract the consultant.

• The consultant will play an important role in assisting the Core Group Secretariat in fact finding drafting and review of the final version of the SLTA.

Payment terms

• Payment will be made on a monthly basis and upon delivery of the services specified in the TOR.
• As the process is dependent on the regular meeting of the SLTA Core Group, if for any reasons such meetings are temporarily suspended, the Consultant’s contract may also be temporarily suspended until meetings resume.

Competencies

Corporate Competencies

·                     Displays cultural, gender, religion, race, national and age sensitivity and adaptability

·                     Excellent analytical and organisational skills

·                     Ability to meet deadlines

Functional Competencies

·                     Demonstrates strong oral and written communication skills. A written clarification of the candidate’s understanding of the ToR’s/letter of intent will be required in addition to a C.V./Resume.

·                     Exhibits capacity to pursue research objectives with diverse Ministries (noting backing from the Ministry of the Interior) and Civil Society as well as the ability to exploit available academic sources.

·                     Communicates effectively with national and international members of the Secretariat.

·                     Acts with tact and diplomacy

Experience and qualification requirements

Education:

·                    Doctoral Degree or currently enrolled in a Doctoral programme equivalent in law, economics, political science, social science or a related field. Track record in publication in an area relevant to the SLTA.

·                    Must be in possession of valid Somaliland issued ID prior to commencing work (for access purposes).

Experience:

·                     Track record of research and drafting capacity, publication history to be included in submission.

·                     Expert knowledge and understanding of the political, security and economic dynamics in Somaliland and the Horn of Africa Region.

·                     Prior experience working with Civil Society, INGO’s, LNGO’s, Ministries, the Diplomatic Corps or equivalents preferred.

Languages:

·                     Fluency in written and spoken Somali, fluency in written and spoken English.

Evaluation criteria

DESK REVIEW:

Finalizes TF TOR’s, Concept Note and Calendar.

During Month 1 and Month 2, SLTA Core Group convene and agree on Structure and Review preliminary Contents of Somaliland Threat Assessment (Sec/Def elements).

Undertake drafting process of 1^st Draft of SLTA, covering outline framework

Discrete lateral review by selected external actors.

Submission of initial framework to Security Working Group in Month 3 for recommendations to amend or approval.

Security Working Group presents initial framework to Governance Sector Forum in Month 3 for recommendations to amend or approve.

If approved MoI, as Chair of Governance Sector Forum, submits to OoPres for review.

convene and review contents of SLTA (prepares research requests to thematic technical leads  – Health/Environment & Economy/ Infrastructure.

Results Transmitted to OOPres for review

Discrete lateral review by selected external actors

In Month 5, SLTA Core Group presents progress to Security Working Group and Governance Sector Forum

In Month 5, Health & Environment Task Force Convenes to finalize inputs.

Core Group prepares research requests to Economy & Infrastructure Task Force.

In Month 6 Economy & Infrastructure Task Force Convenes

SLTA Core Group convenes and Review Contents of SLTA, including feedback from Health & Environmental Task Force

Results Transmitted to OOPres for review

Discrete lateral review by national and International Com Actors

In Month 8

Core Group and Thematic Task Forces present to;

OoPres and Government Branches

Somaliland Based International Community

Broader Civil Society Actors

MOI submits final version to the OoPres on the basis of recommendations from Presentations.

In Month 9 Translation and Publication.

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