Country: Uganda
Closing date: 15 Apr 2016
1.0Introduction
The Nile Basin Initiative (NBI) is a transitional intergovernmental partnership led by 10 Member States: Burundi, DR Congo, Egypt, Ethiopia, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, The Sudan, Tanzania, and Uganda. Eritrea participates as an observer. The partnership was established on 22nd February 1999 and is guided by a Shared Vision Objective: ‘*To achieve sustainable socio-economic development through equitable utilization of, and benefit from, the common Nile Basin Water resources’*. To achieve the Shared Vision Objective, NBI implements three core functions:
Basin Cooperation -To facilitate, support and nurture cooperation amongst the Nile Basin countries so as to promote timely and efficient joint actions required for securing benefit from the common Nile Basin water resources.
Water Resource Management- To assess, manage and safeguard the water resource base that supports the peoples of the Nile Basin through applying the principles of knowledge-based integrated water resources management to water development planning and assessment.
Water Resource Development- To identify, prepare and facilitate investment in regional/trans-boundary water development projects and programs whilst avoiding negative impacts on the health of the Nile Basin’s resources through applying the principles of integrated water resources management.
2.0 The Assignment
Since it was established in 1999, NBI has been generating benefits for Member States in terms of food, water and energy security as well as capacity development, economic growth and regional peace and security.
The Nile Basin Initiative Secretariat (Nile-SEC) is seeking to develop a booklet as one of our flagship publications. This publication will systematically capture the benefits of Nile cooperation spearheaded by NBI in terms of those already obtained, in the pipeline, potential as well as benefits beyond the river. It will showcase both the benefits accruing to each of the 10 individual NBI Member States as well as the collective benefits. The document will also capture the consequences of non-cooperation.
Nile-SEC is therefore looking for an experienced Editor to provide technical assistance in editing material that has been put together through co-operation with the two sub-basin offices, ENTRO and NELSAP-CU for the “Consolidated Benefits of Nile Cooperation Booklet”,
The overall objective of the booklet is to increase awareness of Nile Basin Member States’ collective and individual benefits as well as better understanding of the importance of Nile cooperation.
3.0 Specific tasks
· Edit the booklet for both content and language, ensuring accurate spelling, grammar and punctuation as well as harmonize the style and linguistic variations and produce a final version ready to be formatted for publication.
· Draft some short text boxes for inclusion in the report.
· Highlight, extract and simplify key messages from the text to ensure comprehension for a non-technical audience
· Consolidate and edit the different chapters of the Booklet and ensure proper flow and readability.
- Analytically distill the benefits accruing to the NBI Member States as a collective
· Ensure that the booklet is written in an accessible style, to be disseminated to wider audiences across the Nile Basin region.
· Suggest appropriate photos and graphics.
· Submit the preliminary edited draft to Nile-SEC for review/approval.
· Ensure all corrections have been incorporated into the document.
· Deliver the final version of the document to Nile-SEC.
· Work closely with the NBI Communications Thematic Team.
4.0 Education,Key skills, Professional experienceand competencies required:**
· At least a Masters’ Degree in any of the following fields: Journalism, Communication Political Science, Water Resources Management.
· Proven excellent writing and editing skills on technical subjects like energy, agriculture, water resources management.
· At least two similar assignments
· A minimum of 10 years’ experience writing and editing technical material for similar organisations, for public consumption and wide dissemination.
· Good understanding of the Nile Basin Initiative and Nile Cooperation or similar organisation.
Competencies
· Ability to produce digestible and creative communication messages is required.
· Ability to synthesize large amounts of technical information and an attention to detail are necessary.
· Ability to work under both minimal supervision and pressure, to meet tight deadlines while maintaining a high level of accuracy.
· Excellent interpersonal skills and flexible attitude.
· Strong writing skills in English. Knowledge of French would be an asset.
5.0Management and organization
It is foreseen that the booklet can be edited inthe form of a desk-study, no travelling or primary research should be necessary.
The booklet should be submitted, in electronic wordfiles, ready for design and layout, for approval by the Executive Director of the NBI Secretariat, or his designate. The final booklet is the property of NBI and NBI has the copyrights to the booklet.
6.0 Timeframe and fee
It is envisaged that the booklet will be launched in June 2016 during the 24th Nile Council of Ministers Meeting to be held in Uganda. The successful consultant will have 15 working days upon signing of contract, to complete the assignment.
The consultancy fee will be paid as a lump sum amount after acceptance of the deliverable. This consultancy is off-site.
How to apply:
Qualified candidates are requested to email a cover letter indicating relevant experience and availability and CV to: Executive Director, Nile Basin Initiative Secretariat
Email: mediarelations@nilebasin.org with a copy to Edith Mbonye at embonye@nilebasin.org
