Expert Pools for AfCFTA Negotiations and Implementation Support

Provision of short-term expert (STE) pools to support negotiations and implementation of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA): Advisory services and capacity building for governmental, private sector, and civil society stakeholders at continental, regional, and national levels. Services include human capacity development and organizational and technical advice in thematic areas such as removing barriers to Trade in Goods, Trade in Services, and Digital Trade; support for further AfCFTA negotiations (e.g., Rules of Origin, Trade in Services); support for the ratification of Phase II Protocols (Competition Policy, Intellectual Property Rights, Investment, Digital Trade, Women & Youth in Trade); implementation of AfCFTA regulations at national and regional levels; monitoring and reviewing AfCFTA Protocol implementation in AU Member States; improving access to trade information; supporting the African private sector to trade under AfCFTA rules; and supporting authorities in establishing inclusive policies for women & youth traders. The contractor identifies and manages STE pools, supports GIZ in defining required expertise, proposes suitable experts, selects experts jointly with GIZ, and manages their deployment. Interventions focus on 8 countries (Ethiopia, Ghana, Ivory Coast, Kenya, Malawi, Rwanda, Tunisia, and Zambia) and at REC level on EAC, ECOWAS, and SADC. Expected services include technical, operational, and strategic policy advisory services; support in developing, drafting, and reviewing reports, studies, analyses, position papers, guidelines, action plans, implementation plans, and legislation; research and analysis (including diagnostic missions); facilitation of private sector participation in policy-making processes and dialogue; facilitation of national, regional, and continental workshops and conferences (including interpretation and translation services); and project support services (M&E systems, communication materials, moderation, translation, interpretation). Services are structured around five work packages: strengthening the AfCFTA Secretariat's capacity to guide and monitor implementation; strengthening AUC ETTIM's capacity to support and monitor the enabling environment for goods and services production; supporting coordination of the AfCFTA implementation approach among selected RECs; supporting domestication and ratification of AfCFTA Protocols in selected AU Member States; and enabling private sector actors to trade under AfCFTA rules. Additionally, communication, moderation, M&E support, translation, and interpretation services are required for the project and partner institutions at continental, regional, and national levels. Deliverables will primarily be in English or French, optionally in Arabic, Portuguese, Spanish, or Swahili.

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