Common Market for Eastern and Southern
Africa (COMESA)
Call for Applicaitons
A. MASE Coordinator (P4) –Re-Advertised
(Candidates who responded to the
earlier advertisement should not apply)
Somali pirates have been attacking
vessels in the marine areas of Kenya, Tanzania, Seychelles, and Madagascar and
further off into the Indian Ocean. Piracy and lack of maritime security
continue to increase transport costs, trade costs and insurance.
This ultimately affects the regional
integration process by undermining development efforts which negatively impact
on the inclusion of the region in the global economy. Furthermore piracy
increases the risks of terrorism and smuggling of weapons and drugs.
The increasing concern in the region from a political, social and economic perspective, especially in the economically vulnerable small island states prompted the region to attribute to all the Regional Organisations a specific mandate for the fight against piracy.
The 13th COMESA Summit held in June
2009 in Zimbabwe called upon the International Community to adopt a coordinated
approach in a holistic manner through the UN.
Following this, a high level regional
Ministerial Meeting on Piracy was held on 7 October 2010 in Mauritius and
adopted the ESA-IO Regional Strategy and Action Plan against Piracy and
for Promoting Maritime Security.
In line with the Action Plan, the
Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the East African Community
(EAC) and the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the Indian
Ocean Community (IOC) under the initiation of the IRCC, have created a common
Eastern and Southern Africa and Indian Ocean region (ESAIO) regional programme
to support maritime security.
The Programme was developed in
accordance with the provisions of the ESA-IO 10th EDF Regional Strategy
Paper/Regional Indicative Programme.
COMESA component in this regional programme is seeks to strengthen regional capacity to disrupt the financial networks of pirate leaders and their financiers while also addressing the structural vulnerability factors and minimize the economic impact of piracy.
COMESA will initially focus on ten
ESA countries that are signatories of the Djibouti Code of Conduct as its core
countries {The target countries comprises
Somalia frontline states and countries in the Eastern and Southern Africa and
Indian Ocean (ESA-IO) region that border the Indian Ocean including, Comoros,
Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya, Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Somalia,
and Tanzania.} but it shall also give secondary
attention to other neighbouring countries to prevent money laundering shifting
their activities especially the less regulated jurisdictions as found in the
FATF ICRG list of countries that have deficiencies with respect to compliance
with Financial Action Task Force (FATF) standards.
The programme is intended to enable the countries to identify how the proceeds from ransom payments are laundered, identify vulnerabilities in current regional Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering regimes and develop the capacity to address these vulnerabilities, including the development or strengthening of Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs).
The programme is intended to enable the countries to identify how the proceeds from ransom payments are laundered, identify vulnerabilities in current regional Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering regimes and develop the capacity to address these vulnerabilities, including the development or strengthening of Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs).
The programme will ensure that capacity
building to FIUs is done in compliance to recommendations of the FATF. Another
important component of the programme will be to enhance the capacity of the
region in financial investigation.
This component will be implemented
jointly with INTERPOL, which will initially focus on Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya,
Mauritius, Seychelles and Tanzania, through an implementation Agreement with
COMESA. Information sharing and collaboration will be very crucial to the
success of analysis, investigation and prosecution of money laundering crimes.
The programme will address
institutional setting and development; support coordination and inter-agency
linkages and address legal and legislative issues including strengthening legal
action against financial crimes.
The implementation will continuously
draw from outputs of the 5th Working Group of the International
Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS); the Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG) among others. The Programme will also receive support from the COMESA Monetary Institute in Nairobi.
Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS); the Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG) among others. The Programme will also receive support from the COMESA Monetary Institute in Nairobi.
The MASE programme falls within the
Governance Peace and Security Unit operating in the Office of the Secretary
General and will include a dedicated Programme Coordinator, a finance specialist
and an administrative assistant.
COMESA would hereby like to recruit a
Programme Coordinator to manage the programme and a finance specialist to
provide support for the financial aspects of the programme, while at the same
time ensuring coherence and providing guidance on finance matters to other
programmes under the Governance Peace and Security.
Terms of Reference
A. Job Title: MASE Coordinator
Grade: P4
Expected Results
The MASE Coordinator will ensure that
COMESA has in place a fully functioning programme to address piracy by building
capacity of Member states to curb money laundering.
Specifically, the MASE Coordinator
will ensure:
a. Financial analytical capacity in the region
enhanced by setting up and strengthening of national Financial Intelligence
Units (FIUs) and other analytical tools, and strengthening the financial
institutions in the region to analyse, detect and track financial flows linked
to piracy, proceeds from financial crimes and other illicit maritime
transactions
b. Common, coordinated and inter agency framework on
anti-money laundering and piracy funding are developed in ESA-IO, including
supporting linkages with national Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs)
c. National money laundering laws and regulations are
drafted or amended and regional policy frameworks to counter piracy and to
address economic impact of piracy are adopted
d. Regional capacity to investigate and prosecute
financial crimes at national and international levels assessed and strengthened
Tasks of the MASE Coordinator
The specific tasks for the MASE
Coordinator (MC) are listed below.
The MC shall:
i. Keep abreast of all incidents of
piracy and terrorism in the COMESA region including the ongoing programmes and
initiatives to address piracy and specifically money laundering
ii. Maintain a good understanding of the status and
capacity of member states and particularly the core countries with respect to
their response to piracy crimes; specifically:
- The status and capacity of the Financial
Intelligence Units
- The AML/CFT laws that exist in Member states
and status of implementation
- The status and capacity of the relevant Law
enforcement agencies in member states
iii. Keep
abreast of other regional and international initiatives that aim at addressing
money laundering including the Financial Action Task Force (FATF) and
FATF-Style Regional Bodies such as the Eastern and Southern Africa Anti-money
Laundering Group (ESSAMLG); and the five Working Groups of the Contact Group on
Piracy off the Coast of Somalia, particularly the Working Group 5.
iv. Work in close collaboration with INTERPOL in the
implementation of its component; also ensuring to receive its reports
v. Ensure to maintain the broader regional aspects of
MASE by collaborating with similar officers at the East African Community
(EAC), the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the Indian
Ocean Community (IOC) on the implementation of MASE
vi. Collaborate with the African Union Peace and
Security Department and ensure linkages with the 2050 Africa Integrated
Maritime (AIM) Strategy;
vii. Develop programmes and activities, including
capacity building programmes that target FIUs in the region by among others:
- Initiating courses and programmes that will
continuously improve knowledge and understanding AML, CFT and piracy
funding;
- Advising and providing inputs to the various
programmes and activities, required improvements of content and sourcing
of resource persons
- Ensuring delivery of high quality regional
capacity building seminars, workshops, short-term training etc; and,
- Prepare annual MASE Work plans in consultation
with the Unit Head
viii. Produce quarterly activity plans, quarterly aide
memoirs and implementation plans for decisions of Council/ Ministers of Foreign
Affairs that relate to Maritime Security
ix. Manage the approved budget for MASE ensuring value for money;
x. Produce MASE quarterly, annual and other reports
that may be required for the Unit and for the EU; and ensure that financial
reports are produced in time
xi. Keep
abreast of the financial status of the programme and ensure that requests for
replenishment of funds, requests for reallocations are done in time
xii. Provide advice and technical assistance on the
laws, procedures, practices, and reforms thereof, related to financial
intelligence, AML and CFT, and Piracy funding.
xiii. Carry out research, sharing information and
monitoring compliance with international and regional regulatory framework
relating to Financial intelligence, AML and CFT, and Piracy funding
xiv. Study and analyse policy frameworks of FIUs in
COMESA region with the objective of recommending harmonization and improvements
of such frameworks.
xv. Develop
concept papers, reports, presentations, briefs, legal and economic opinions to
inform decision making in COMESA Financial Intelligence Units.
xvi. Any other assignments assigned to him/her to ensure
the accomplishment of the objectives of the Programme on Peace and Security.
Profile of the MASE Coordinator
a) Qualifications and skills
The candidate should possess a
Master’s degree from a recognized university in a relevant field such as
Economics, International Relations, International Conflict Management,
Diplomacy or Security studies, and at least ten years of relevant working experience.
b) Professional Experience
The candidate should have
professional experience in Economics, and Security related fields and also
demonstrate practical knowledge in legal matters, International Relations and
Diplomacy.
The candidate should also be well
versed with developmental issues.
An Economic degree should be
supported with demonstrated knowledge on security matters where certification
on AML, CFT criminology, international relations, Diplomacy, ethics and
anti-corruption and economic crime, will be an added advantage.
A Security/International relations or
Diplomacy degree should be supported by demonstrated knowledge on economics
where a first degree in a business related area will be an added advantage.
The ideal candidate also be conversant
with the security, political and economic environment in COMESA member states
and have a sound appreciation of all COMESA Programmes.
The candidate should have very strong inter-personal skills, good writing and analytical skills and be conversant with computer software.
(c) Language: The candidate should be conversant with English,
Arabic or French while a working knowledge of one of the other languages will
be an added advantage.
V. Duration and Location: The MASE Coordinators’ position is for a
four-year term and will be based at the COMESA Secretariat in Zambia. The
position will also include travel to COMESA member states.
VI. Reporting: The candidate shall work under the supervision of
the Head of Governance Peace and Security.
Additional Information on the Post
Additional Information on the Post
1. Type
of Contract: COMESA non-established professional staff service contracts.
Remuneration will be in accordance with COMESA conditions of service for
non-established professional staff.
2. Remuneration: Remuneration will be calculated on
the basis of background and professional experience and will be determined
according to the level indicated against each post.
3. Terms of appointment: The successful candidate will
be contracted for twenty four (24) months renewable up to 14th July 2018
depending on satisfactory performance.
4. Expected time for commencement of services: The
successful candidate are expected to commence work in February 2015
5. Legal form for competitors: Only Nationals of
countries (ACP and EU) that are signatories to the Cotonou Agreement of 23rd
June 2000 are encouraged to apply.
6. Final date for receipt of applications: 19th
January 2015
7. Addresses: Applications may be submitted by e-mail
or fax using a prescribed form which can be downloaded fromhttp://www.comesa.int/vacancies
and E-mail to :
recruitment@comesa.int
or fax it:
The Secretary General
COMESA Centre
Ben Bella Road
P O Box 30051
10101 Lusaka
Zambia
COMESA Centre
Ben Bella Road
P O Box 30051
10101 Lusaka
Zambia
Fax: (260 1) 227318
E-mail: recruitment@comesa.int with copies to e-mail address:
abinda@comesa.int;
8. Applications
should contain the applicant’s Curriculum Vitae, present and permanent address,
telephone and fax numbers and e-mail.
The C.V format can be downloaded from
the COMESA Website:http://www.comesa.int/vacancies
