Result of Service

Locally accepted and endorsed LED strategies for the cities of Qena and Damietta defining the leading industries and proposed projects for areas economic development, business requirements for growth and localization translated to technical aspects integrated within the detailed and strategic urban plans for the cities. The strategies should adhere to the UN-Habitat module and define a clear vision, objectives, roadmap for actions, mandates, needed policy interventions for implementation, timeline, KPIs and follow-up methodology. The strategies would have the ability for replication in other cities via a procedural manual.

Work Location

Qena & Damietta, Egypt

Expected duration

8 months

Duties and Responsibilities

ORGANIZATIONAL SETTING UN-Habitat, the United Nations Human Settlements Programme, is mandated by the UN General Assembly to promote socially and environmentally sustainable towns and cities. It is the focal point for all urbanization and human settlement matters within the UN system. BACKGROUND UN Habitat in Egypt Established in 2005, UN-Habitat Egypt Programme has been providing technical support to national counterparts on a wide range of urban issues. Adopting an integrated approach, UN-Habitat Egypt has supported reforming and improving urban planning and management through three main sub-programmes, namely; urban planning and design; urban policies, legislation and governance; and urban basic services and mobility. Local Development and Urban Economy Policies The Local Development and Urban Economy Policies Programme in Egypt works towards to tackling the multi-dimensional urbanization context with a special attention to urban management, urban planning, urban economy where all stakeholders are empowered and enabled to engage and play their expected role(s). The programme is working with all stakeholders and on different levels to find new appropriate, realistic and context driven ways of making sure that the urbanization processes are providing acceptable spatial standards and services. The programme is also working towards enhancing the capacity of relevant actors in reforming the legal and institutional framework governing urban development; promoting the empowerment of local government; enhancing land tenure security; establishing processes for participating and inclusive planning process; enhancing local economic development and social entrepreneurs. The programme provides legislation enhancement and policies development support on the national level in order to replicate and scale up all of its successful interventions. Hayenna – Integrated Urban Development Project In 2018, the Ministry of Housing, Utilities, Urban Communities (MoHUUC), Ministry of Foreign Affairs (MoFA), the General Organization for Physical Planning (GOPP), the UN-Habitat and the Swiss State Secretariat for Economic Cooperation (SECO) cooperated to implement the Hayenna project. The project aims at developing an improved land management, as well as implementing better-planned and financially sustainable basic infrastructure services that offer an attractive and inclusive alternative to informal settlements and promoting local economic facilities in two pilot Governorates (Qena and Damietta) advancing cross learning and initiating scale up. The project thereby intervenes in three dimensions: urban planning and design, public finance management and land-based financing, and support to urban legislation and regulation. About Local Economic Development As per the UN-Habitat manual “Promoting Local Economic Development through Strategic Planning”, local economic development (LED) is a participatory process in which local people from all sectors work together to stimulate local commercial activity, resulting in a resilient and sustainable economy. It is a way to help create decent jobs and improve the quality of life for everyone, including the poor and marginalized. The LED process seeks to empower local participants to effectively utilize business enterprise, labour, capital and other local resources to achieve local priorities (e.g. promote quality jobs, reduce poverty…etc). Strategic planning for local economic development is important. It involves wise resource use, integrating values and thinking ahead. We believe that strategic planning for LED is a pragmatic and powerful tool that can help significantly address local issues. By engaging in a strategic planning process for LED, at a minimum, this offers a way to improve the necessary interaction among business, government, labor and the poor. If done well, it provides a way to clarify competitive advantages, identify cooperative opportunities, craft innovative options and generate strategies that better achieve local priorities. Creating an LED strategy requires seeking answers to what sectors could lead the economic development to this area, what is local area good at what it has to offer; where its weaknesses are, what outside threats and opportunities. Then, a clear vision for the specified region should be positioned; linking set of objectives based on a practical understanding of the marketplace. LED practitioners have many programme and projects opportunities available to them, but to succeed, there needs to be an understanding of the range of strategy options and a process by which local areas can create the best mix of actions to achieve local objectives. Success in LED depends on the (local) government encouraging a business environment where markets can operate efficiently. In most countries, micro, small and medium-size enterprises should be strongly supported, and modernized to be able to create higher value, generate wealth and create decent jobs. The attraction of new investment is also important to help dragging the local economy to a progressive position in the value chain in specific sectors. Realization of these outcomes lies on the creativity of local establishments and actors-local authorities, training institutions, informal sector operators, businesses, and civil society organizations-in adapting the tools to the realities on the ground. It is also an emphasis of better spatial planning where relevant infrastructure is available, bringing people and jobs close together, reducing travelling times and costs. The LED component in Hayenna aims, at the first stance, to maintain the synergy between the business and urban consideration of local economic development drivers. This entails the operationalization of sectoral localization requirements within the detailed and strategic urban plans of the cities, in terms of infrastructure, roads, land-uses and any other relevant aspect, after defining the ultimate economic size of the targeted industries. REPORTING LINE The consultant will work closely with the Local Development and Urban Economy Policies Programme and under the direct supervision of the Local Development and Urban Economy Policies Programme Manager to fulfill the following tasks: Duties and responsibilities a) Coordinate the formulation of Local Economic Development Taskforce in each city, to act as the formal space for stakeholders’ engagement. b) Undertake a sectoral diagnosis of the located economic activities; identify gaps and opportunities for investment cases. c) Assess the readiness, ultimate and maximum capacities of the cities to host, maintain and incubate alternative sectors, in terms of human capital, infrastructure, accessibility and connectivity…etc d) Lead business dialogues to understand investors’ orientation and appetite towards localizing within the sphere of influence. e) Define strategic direction and objectives for LED for the two cities (Damietta and Qena) based on discussed options with relevant stakeholders. f) List potential investment cases for each city as per a thorough methodology, for instance cost-benefit analysis. The list should be provided in conjunction with the provisions requested from the governments’ side. This may include policy measures and/or technical interventions. g) Operationalize the implications of the LED objectives on the detailed and strategic urban plans of the cities, in terms of infrastructure, roads, land-uses and any other relevant aspect. h) Produce city-level local economic development strategies for the two cities based on the UN-Habitat module and above-mentioned duties; including locally endorsed vision, objectives, roadmap for actions, clarified mandates, needed policy interventions for implementation, timeline, KPIs and follow-up methodology. i) Ratify the ultimate and efficient process for city level LED strategy formation based on lessons learned, indicate the faced obstacles and responses. j) Detect general and city-specific considerations of LED city-strategy formulation, based on the international best practices, perceived commonalities and differences between the cases of the two cities. k) Sketch the institutional interactive frame for LED planning and implementation in Egypt to be used to apply the different LED strategies. l) Produce a manual for LED strategies formulation and implementation on the city level to be used later nationally by local stakeholders for possible replication, based on the lessons learnt. m) Conduct training sessions for local stakeholders on the preparation and implementation of their LED strategies, based on the content included in the manual. Important considerations: • Ensure the involvement of the different local stakeholders, including the business community, throughout the process of strategy formulation. • Ensure the understanding of the national legislative and institutional frameworks for LED strategy formulation in Egypt, as well as the follow of latest international experience and best practices. • Keep record of the LED strategy formulation phases, indicating the initiation of the vision and objectives, identification and evaluation of strategy options. • All deliverables will be prepared in English and Arabic, some of the documents can be submitted in one language after the approval of UN-Habitat. • All deliverables will be submitted electronically in word format, supported by a summary of key findings and takeaways in PowerPoint slides. • All figures, charts, documents, and references used must be properly documented in all delivered documents.

Qualifications/special skills

Advanced university degree (master’s degree or equivalent) in Economics or a related field is required. A first level university degree in combination with two additional years of qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. A minimum of seven (7) years of progressively responsible experience in the field of local economic development, business development and/or economic policy and strategy development or related field is required. Practical experience in developing and implementing economic strategies is an asset. Familiarity of working with local administration units is an added value. Publications and research records are an asset.

Languages

Fluency in oral and written English and Arabic is required.

Additional Information

Not available.

No Fee

THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.