Budget: £15,000 (all inclusive fee)
Project Duration: 3 Months – November- February
Closing Date: 22 November 2024 at 17:00 GMT
Trade, Oceans and Natural Resources Directorate (TONRD)
TONR is one of the three Directorates of the Commonwealth Secretariat. The Directorate brings together work in Trade Policy, Competitiveness, Connectivity Agenda for Trade and Investment, and Oceans and Natural Resources. TONRD is responsible for contributing to the delivery of the organisation’s strategic outcomes: (i) greater adherence to Commonwealth values and principles and advance good governance, through strengthened rule of law, democracy, peacebuilding, human rights, public institutions, and electoral processes enabled by value-based leadership; (ii) sustainable and inclusive economic and social development pertaining to trade, financial and debt management, oceans and natural resources management and, health and education systems; (iii) climate-resilient and low-carbon development to respond to climate and ocean emergencies, through intra-Commonwealth co-operation on sustainable ocean action and energy transition and increased mitigation and adaptation actions; and (iv) small and other vulnerable states’ needs and concerns will be addressed in global governance mechanisms and their resilience to shocks increased.
Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda
At the 2018 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting, the Commonwealth adopted the Declaration on the Commonwealth Connectivity Agenda for Trade and Investment (CCA). The CCA is a major new member-state led initiative to grow intra-Commonwealth trade and investment to US$2 trillion by 2030 and promote expanded investment to support global growth, create employment, and promote knowledge exchange among Commonwealth members. The CCA focusses on five clusters of work: physical connectivity reducing physical barriers to trade; digital connectivity enabling all members to take advantage of the opportunities presented by digital trade; regulatory connectivity reducing regulatory barriers to trade; business to business connectivity focussing on investment and public-private dialogue and supply-side connectivity encouraging the participation of all members in global value chains. Throughout these areas, inclusive and sustainable trade, addressing women’s economic empowerment and youth unemployment are being mainstreamed.
Regulatory Connectivity Cluster:
This assignment falls within the Regulatory Connectivity Cluster (RCC) which focuses on improving understanding of various regulatory regimes and advancing the ease of doing business through promoting good regulatory practice including regulatory cooperation among member countries. The objective is to reduce non-tariff barriers, improve services data collection, and mutual recognition to reduce regulatory barriers, address the capacity deficit and improve the regulatory environment for business, especially micro, small, and medium enterprises, and consumers.
Background of the assignment
The Indo-Pacific region has emerged as an important area for global trade, encompassing economies with diverse regulatory frameworks. This varying regulatory environments across conventional and digital sectors pose challenges to seamless trade. Regulatory coherence is vital for harmonizing standards, reducing barriers, and fostering greater economic integration. In this context, this study aims to develop a “roadmap for regulatory coherence” (both conventional and digital) in selected Indo-Pacific countries — (Australia, New Zealand, Samoa, Fiji, India, and Malaysia) — to enhance trade opportunities within the region.
Objectives
The primary objectives of this analytical study are; to:
- Develop a comprehensive roadmap for regulatory coherence in both conventional (physical goods, services) and digital sectors (e-commerce, data flows, digital services etc).
- Identify key regulatory barriers in selected countries and explore ways to harmonize regulations to enhance trade.
- Propose actionable recommendations for policy/regulatory reforms, capacity building, and regional collaboration to achieve regulatory coherence in the Indo-Pacific region.
The successful candidate should ideally possess:
- The successful consultant should have the following minimum qualifications and experience.
- At least ten years’ experience working on developing regulatory frameworks, policy analysis, and impact assessments of regulatory frameworks is required.
- Demonstrated experience in regulatory compliance, public administration, or related fields is desirable.
- Practical experience in conducting analysis of digital and conventional regulatory coherence is highly desirable. Experience in analysing complex data, assessing risks, and evaluating the effects of proposed regulations would be valued.
- Proven skills for effective communication and collaboration are essential.
- Previous experience of working with International Organizations on similar assignments is desirable.
- A master’s degree in economics, public policy, finance or related field is required (A Bachelor’s degree would be accepted in lieu of a Master’s degree with an additional two years relevant experience)
To apply:
Please submit your CV along with a completed RFQ highlighting relevant skills and experience by no later than 22 November 2024 to [email protected]
Evaluation will be based on skills, relevant experience, competency and consultant fee.
Download the RFQ