Aid for Trade (AfT) is a global initiative that strengthens developing countries’ abilities to capture gains from international trade. Much of this agenda is focused on strengthening domestic production and competitiveness, via the creation of enabling business environments and building economic infrastructure. Activities coming under AfT fall into five categories: (1) trade policy and regulation; (2) trade development; (3) economic infrastructure; (4) productive capacity; and (5) adjustment costs.

UNDP’s approach uses a human centric approach to trade. By helping poor and vulnerable households and communities start, expand, and formalize small and medium-sized companies that can participate in cross-border and regional trade and global value chains, this project expands people’s capacities, as well as promoting trade and reducing poverty. By helping trade policy makers to take advantage of the development opportunities presented by preferential trading arrangements and to better understand the socio-economic and environmental consequences of trade policies, this project strengthens the institutional capacities needed for inclusive growth and sustainable development. Trade and human development can therefore be mutually beneficial.

Phase I of the regional AfT project in Europe and Central Asia lasted from July 2009 to December 2010. It was designed within the framework of Finland’s Wider Europe Initiative, and funded by Finland’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs. Phase I focused on three sub-regions: Western CIS (Belarus, Moldova, Ukraine), South Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan, Georgia) and Central Asia (Kazakhstan, Kyrgyzstan, Tajikistan, Turkmenistan, Uzbekistan).  Phase II of the regional AfT project, which was implemented in the same programme countries, lasted from February 2011 to January 2014, and was funded by the Finnish MFA. Phase III of the regional AfT project (2014-2018) built on the experience and lessons learned in Phases I and II. The AfT needs assessments undertaken under Phase I in Central Asia, the South Caucasus, and Western CIS identified policy recommendations and technical assistance activities to help trade better contribute to human development and poverty reduction. In contrast to previous phases, Phase III was focused exclusively on the post-Soviet region’s low-income countries, which are located in Central Asia.

The project worked on three components and on three conceptual levels. On the macro level, component I: on capacity development for trade policy makers; on the meso level, component II strengthens trade support institutions; while on the micro level component III focused on capacity development, helping agro-processing stakeholders to increase exports.

Phase IV of the regional AfT project (2018-2021) in Kyrgyzstan focuses on the following output levels:

1.1.  Enabling policies and regulations for inclusive and trade oriented private sector development;

1.2.  Trade support institutions that provide efficient services to the private sector;

2.     More efficient and competitive producers and processors contributing to sustainable human development

On a first level (Component 1), the project supports the Export Development and Promotion  Center “Kyrgyz Export” and other relevant state agencies to focus on development of trade promotion mechanisms (including activities on improving access to markets and access to technologies) that support the private sector in terms of generating decent jobs. In addition, the project continues to support the Export Caravan in all regions of Kyrgyzstan to discuss and address issues of export promotion and development through an open dialogue platform. The Export Caravan is a baseline for configuration value-added services of Trade Support Institutions for boosting exports by private sector.

On a second level (Component 2), the project works directly with producers supporting high value niche products that are sustainable. The focus on niche products was tested during the previous phase and the conclusion is that sales of high quality niche products is easier, especially if targeted for exporting as competition is not based on price and volume – two components extremely difficult to achieve with highly fragmented production patterns especially in rural and remote areas. In addition, niche products tend to allow for a greater degree of environmental sustainability and a greater degree of flexibility in terms of adapting to special agricultural setting.

Finally, the project has dedicated activities to support women in developing their business skills through trainings but also networking opportunities. The project also creates visibility for women entrepreneurs to reinforce positive role model images.

• Manage the implementation of project activities as per the work plan;
  • Ensure close substantive coordination of project activities in target provinces, which includes:Intensive capacity building to the respective staff of the project on trade development issues
  •  Ensure coherent approach to capacity development and business support interventions
  • Ensure links of local-level interventions with interventions of component 1;
  • Undertake regular monitoring visits to target regions;
  • Provide quality assurance on all project activities implemented in target regions;
• Plan, implement and manage activities under the respective output, including the preparation of annual work plans, procurement plans, and recruitment plans; managing the budget; monitoring expenditures and quarterly substantive reporting;
• Lead the implementation of activities focusing on technical assistance at the national level to the Government in policies and regulations for sustainable and inclusive trade oriented private sector development;
• Ensuring the delivery of the project activities against approved budgets
• Ensure aligning the project activities with the UNDP mandate and corporate priorities, National strategies/programs and contribution to the capacity development of the national counterpart institutions;
• Provide program contribution trade-related areas including and not limited to improving services on export promotion and development as well as trade intelligence, strengthening value-added chains, enhancing access to finance for producers and exporters, empowering women entrepreneurship, promoting sustainable and inclusive economic growth patterns, supporting the government with advisory support in trade-related fields.
• Liaise with key stakeholders and other partners to ensure proper coordination and partnership within the framework of activities of project implementation
• Ensure fulfillment of standard procedures, including the ones on procurement, contracting of services and formalizing partnerships, in accordance with UNDP Rules and Regulations
• Regularly assess performance of staff working under his / her supervision
• Ensure proper documentation and codification (knowledge management) of project methodologies and experiences for wide dissemination and institutional memory
• Monitor regularly and ensure timely and adequate implementation of the project action plans, undertake necessary preparatory actions for the planned activities, and liaise with relevant parties, if needed
• Handle correspondence and keep the filing system related to the component and to general project matters
• Arrange Project events including meetings, trainings and other activities related to component implementation
• Work towards achievement of goals set up in UNDP strategic documents (Corporate strategy, UNSDCF, Country Programme Document etc.) and relevant national legislation
• Provide advisory services to beneficiaries and partners on substantive aspects of the component
• Work closely with media in promoting respective component activities and network in the region
• Coordinate national and regional activities with the Aid for Trade Coordinators (Tajikistan and Uzbekistan) through establishing the regular meetings and exchange of information.
• Liaise with local and national government bodies, civil society, academia and target populations to ensure an efficient implementation of the project, as well as appropriation by all stakeholders.
• Ensure wide dissemination and visibility of project achievements.
• The incumbent performs other duties within their functional profile as deemed necessary for the efficient functioning of the Office and the Organization..        

Institutional Arrangement

The project is implemented by UNDP Europe and the CIS Istanbul Regional Hub in close cooperation with UNDP country offices in three countries of Central Asia: Tajikistan, Kyrgyzstan and Uzbekistan. In Kyrgyzstan, the project will be implemented under the umbrella of UNDP Sustainable Economic Development Cluster. The project closely coordinates with the relevant activities/projects implemented under all projects and programmes in regions of Kyrgyzstan.

The Project Coordinator will report on a daily basis to the UNDP Team Leader of Sustainable Economic Development Cluster (the primary supervisor). She/he will also report to the AFT Project Manager in the Istanbul Regional Hub (as a secondary supervisor). The Project Coordinator will have a supervisory role for the project team and is responsible for managing and coordinating the project at the national and regional levels, day-to-day management and decision-making in relation to the implementation of project in Kyrgyzstan. She/he will coordinate all activities with the project unit in Regional Support Center and the UNDP Country Office and will receive substantial support and guidance from the Istanbul Regional Hub.

• Effective Decision Making:
  • Ability to take decisions in a timely and efficient manner in line with one’s authority, area of expertise and resources
• System Thinking:
  • Ability to use objective problem analysis and judgement to understand how interrelated elements coexist within an overall process or system, and to consider how altering one element can impact on other parts of the system
• Results-based Management:
  •  Ability to manage programmes and projects with a focus at improved performance and demonstrable results
• Project Management:
  • Ability to plan, organize, prioritise and control resources, procedures and protocols to achieve specific goals
• Partnerships Management:
  • Ability to build and maintain partnerships with wide networks of stakeholders, Governments, civil society and private sector partners, experts and others in line with UNDP strategy and policies
• Communication:
  • Ability to communicate in a clear, concise and unambiguous manner both through written and verbal communication; to tailor messages and choose communication methods depending on the audience
• Relationship management:
  •  Ability to engage with a wide range of public and private partners, build, sustain and/or strengthen working relations, trust and mutual understanding