Academic institutions and private sector companies in the EAC need to develop strong partnerships to produce graduates with skills to succeed in employment. This is the key takeaway of the 12th Academia-Public-Private Partnership Forum (APPPF) and Exhibition held in Dar es Salaam, Tanzania in March 2023. 

Speaking at the APPPF, the Chief Guest, the Minister of Education, Science and Technology, Hon. Prof. Adolf Faustine Mkenda, noted: “Education institutions, and the private sector should work together to produce market-driven programmes that are responsive to the dynamic needs of the labour market and train graduates that are relevant for the socio-economic development of our region.”

The University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) Executive Secretary, Prof. Gaspard Banyankimbona, observed that skills required to succeed in employment are constantly evolving which necessitates close collaboration between the private sector and higher education institutions to keep pace with the changes demands in the world of work. “The reality of Artificial Intelligence and machine learning demonstrates the need to continuously revise and alter our training to develop learners that can adapt to the changing demands in employment. Some of the skills learnt today in our various learning ecosystems become outdated even before students graduate. Therefore, it is only through strong partnerships between academia and the private sector that we shall be able to identify skills required for future success in the job market,” stressed Prof. Banyankimbona. 

Mr. Johannes Sperrfechter, BMZ Representative and Head of Regional Development Cooperation at the German Embassy, on behalf of the Ambassador, Dr Regine Hess, highlighted that “the German Government committed 2.5 milion EUR additional funds to the dSkills@EA project to strengthen its support and initiatives in the Master Programme, digital skills trainings, and entrepreneurship support”.

The Digital Skills for an Innovative East African Industry (dSkills@EA) Project is part of the technical development cooperation between the EAC and Germany implemented by GIZ. Its core objective is to strengthen employment and innovation-related digital skills of young people in all EAC Partner States. The project builds on its predecessor and continues to support the “Centre of Excellence for ICT in East Africa” (CENIT@EA) by further improving the quality and sustainability of the Master’s Programme “Embedded and Mobile Systems” (MSc EMoS). The project’s other interventions include demand-driven digital skills trainings, and entrepreneurship and innovation support. 

The dSkills@EA project supported the implementation of the 12th APPPF 2023 including supporting CENIT@EA students to exhibit their innovations at the forum. The High-Level Partners’ Breakfast held on the side-lines of the 12th APPPF also saw the signing of a new implementation agreement between the project and its main implementing partner IUCEA. The new implementation agreement will see additional support worth 2.5 million EUR to and through IUCEA for the successful implementation of the project’s objectives and activities.

**About APPPF **

The APPPF is a biennial forum that brings together universities, technical and vocational colleges, entrepreneurs, policy makers, and private sector to deliberate on how to foster joint dialogue and enhance the linkage between the private sector and higher education institutions, as well as government institutions. This year’s forum was organised by the Inter-University Council for East Africa (IUCEA) in partnership with the German Cooperation, through GIZ, the East African Business Council (EABC) and Tanzania Commission for Universities (TCU).

Find more information on dSkills@EA [here](https://www.eacgermany.org/projects/digital-skills-for-an-innovative-east-african-industry). 

Academic-Private Cooperation is Key to Strengthen Graduate Employability (GIZ)

The Common Market is the second regional Integration milestone of the East African Community (EAC), which has been in force since 2010, in line with the provisions of the EAC Treaty. It follows the Customs Union, which became fully-fledged in January 2010. 

Even with market access commitments in professional service markets, lack of recognition of foreign qualifications and experience act as a core impediment to trade in professional services, hindering the free movement of professionals across borders either in their capacity as individuals or as professional firms. 

The signed Mutual Recognition Agreements (MRAs) by the four countries, which include Kenya, Rwanda, Uganda, and the United Republic of Tanzania, are one step closer to alleviate the challenge mentioned above. The MRAs cover the professional Accountants, Architects, Engineers, and Veterinarians in the countries mentioned earlier. Engineering services, like any other trade in professional services, are often conducted via the movement of individuals to supply the services.

German Federal Ministry for Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ) through Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) Tanzania has signed an agreement with EAC Secretariat to implement together a project called "Digitalisation for East African Trade and Integration (DIGEAT)". The project's main objective is to simplify cross-border access to the labour markets in the EAC partner states for engineers.  

DIGEAT will pilot the digital operationalisation of the MRAs. A baseline study will help us understand the current bottlenecks of the cross-border movement of engineers and the readiness of the countries that have signed MRAs to embark on its implementation. DIGEAT will serve as a best practice for the mobility of more professions.

Therefore, GIZ Tanzania/EAC is inviting interested and capable individual consultants from EAC partner states to tender for this project. The consultant must have a strong network and demonstrate the necessary resources to complete the task successfully.

Interested candidates should request for detailed tender documents from **giz-tanzania@giz.de** no later than **3rd April 2023** and submit technical and financial proposals by email no later than **7th April 2023**.


Tender Invitation - Consultancy Services to Conduct a Baseline Study for the Project Digitalisation for East African Trade and Integration (DIGEAT) (GIZ)

On 10 March 2023, the EAC-GIZ cluster in collaboration with the EAC Secretariat and representatives from the East African Legislative Assembly (EALA), East African Science and Technology Commission (EASTECO), East African Business Council (EABC), Inter-University Council of East Africa (IUCEA), students from the Nelson Mandela Africa Centre of Excellence on Science and technology (NM-AIST), East African Women in Business Platform (EAWiBP), among other regional private sector and civil society organizations, jointly celebrated the International Women’s Day 2023 through a workshop themed “DigitALL: Innovation and technology for gender equality in East Africa”, hosted at the EAC Secretariat.

The workshop provided a platform for dialogue on digital innovation and technology for gender equality in the EAC, it highlighted the status of digitalization, innovation, and technology in East Africa, explored the opportunities, challenges, and impacts of technology on women and youth in the EAC and showcased innovation and technology in practice that were promoting gender equality for women and youth in the region.

In her opening remarks, Mrs Godje Bialluch, Cluster Coordinator EAC-GIZ, noted that, “digital literacy is as important as traditional literacy, although women are slowly making headway into the innovation and technology space in East Africa, there is still more work to be done.” Further, she urged EAC Partner States to prioritize targeted policy, legislative and transformative programming as well as structural reforms that bridges gender digital divide in the region.

The EAC has implemented the 50 Million African Women Speak Networking Platform which so far has provided women entrepreneurs digital access to financial and non-financial services to start and/or grow their businesses, fostered networking, mentoring and peer-to peer learning and access to market opportunities between rural and urban areas. Said, the Director Social Sectors, EAC, Dr, Irene Isaka represented in the workshop by Mrs. Ruth Simba, Director, Human Resources and Administration, EAC.

Additionally, Mrs. Ruth Simba remarked that the support provided to over 3000 women cross border entrepreneurs via the Sauti Kenya’s market information platform project which was among other pioneer projects supported by the EAC-GIZ programme was a laudable initiative. The project has enabled access to daily exchange rates and prices of various commodities across the borders. She emphasized, that the EAC Partner States not only need to strategize, package information, address challenges and devise mechanism for improving access to digital technology, but also should allocate adequate budget for improvement of ICT infrastructure through a gender lens.

The workshop featured an engaging keynote presentation and a lively panel discussion that recommended the following:

•	The finalization of the AfCFTA Protocol on women and youth and AfCFTA e-commerce protocol as a game changer in providing women and youth in Africa, the opportunity to leverage digital technologies in East Africa should be fast tracked.
•	The EAC Partner States should fast track the finalization and implementation of the one area network for telecommunication in the EAC to reduce the cost of doing cross border business for women cross border traders in the region.
•	The EAC Partner States should harmonize digital policies including cyber-security and set up legal and policy frameworks that educate and protect girls and women from cybercrimes. 
•	The EAC Partner States should improve digital connectivity and ensure that access to affordable internet is considered a citizen's right – not a luxury.
•	EAC Partner States should consider partnering with the private sector in the region to expand broadband coverage in underserved areas and promote policies that encourage greater competition in the telecommunications sector.
•	The EAC Partner States to provide an enabling environment for women and girls in the EAC to partake in the digital economy by collaborating with businesses and civil society to provide women with access to digital resources, education, skills, and financial support.
•	EAC Partner States were urged to promote women and girls in the ICT sector by developing their digital skills in areas such as coding and provide opportunities for women and girls to pursue careers in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM).  

Find more information on EAC and Gender, Community Development & Civil Society Mobilization [here](https://www.eacgermany.org/sector/gender-community-development-and-civil-society-mobilization).

Find more information on EAC and Education & Training [here](https://www.eacgermany.org/sector/education-and-training).




EAC-GIZ Celebrates International Women’s Day 2023 (GIZ) 

On 27 February 2023, officials from EAC, ECOWAS and SADC as well as national representatives from Tunisia, Ghana, Kenya, Côte d’Ivoire, Malawi, Ethiopia and Niger attended the joint WTO-World Bank Services Trade Policy Conference in Geneva, Switzerland on the survey of Services Trade Policies and Regulations in African Economies that was conducted from 2020 to 2022.  

The objective of the conference was to present the survey and the related quantification of trade policies in African economies, concurrently with the public release of the data. The officials got insights on the increasing importance for trade in services, with specific interest for developing countries. 

In her keynote speech, the Director General, WTO, Ngozi Okonjo-Iweala, noted that “Lack of comprehensive information on Services trade policies and regulations have eluded African governments and trade negotiators for a long time. In conducting the extensive regulatory surveys presented this morning, the WTO and the World Bank, supported by GIZ, ITC and the EU, have made an extraordinary contribution to all services trade negotiations in which African countries participate specifically, the AfCFTA and also here at the WTO”.

The regulatory audits survey highlighted how African countries can foster transparency of Trade in Services policies (Services Trade Policy Database) and quantify restrictiveness of policies (WB-WTO STRI) to support national policy reforms with regards to market entry and operational measures. 

After the conclusion of the conference, from 28 February to 3 March, the officials participated in a study tour on Trade in Services policies which supplied insights from WTO Trade and Investment, UNCTAD, ITC and the International Institute for Sustainable Development on trade policies.

The study tour was facilitated by GIZ via the GIZ-AfCFTA project. 

![WhatsApp Image 2023-03-06 at 09.00.40.jpeg](https://strapi.eacgermany.org/uploads/Whats_App_Image_2023_03_06_at_09_00_40_d9fc309ab1.jpeg)

Find more information on the Services Trade Policy Database (WTO | Services Trade Policy in Africa - Leveraging regulatory surveys for trade negotiations and policy) [here](https://www.wto.org/english/tratop_e/serv_e/serv_2702202310_e/serv_2702202310_e.htm).

Find more information about the GIZ-AfCFTA project [here](https://strapi.eacgermany.org/uploads/giz2022_en_afcfta_eac_a0906acf85.pdf).





Officials from EAC and other RECs Attend the WTO-World Bank Services Trade Policy in Africa Conference in Geneva (GIZ)

As a federal enterprise, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH supports the German Government in achieving its objectives in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development.

For our operations in Arusha, Tanzania, we are looking for a citizen (enrolled student or recent university graduate) of an East African Community Partner State for the position of

**Intern for the programme “Support to East African Integration” (SEAMPEC II) in the areas of communication, monitoring and knowledge management.**

**Field of Activity**

SEAMPEC II supports EAC integration on three levels. Firstly, it aims at supporting regional and continental trade in products with potential to foster sustainable economic transformation such as agricultural commodities. For this, it supports the implementation of regional agreements that improve framework conditions for increasing value-addition in pharmaceuticals, fruits & vegetables as well as leather and leather products.

Secondly, SEAMPEC II focuses on strengthening regional and continental trade in services with potential to support sustainable economic transformation, among them ICT, e-Commerce and tourism. The programme also assists the private sector in developing policy positions and recommendations. Additionally, SEAMPEC II supports the EAC to jointly formulate harmonised positions in the negotiations for the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) and build capacities of the relevant stakeholders to engage in the continental trade.

Thirdly, on the level of organisational development, SEAMPEC II aims at strengthening capacities of the EAC Secretariat to implement the 6th EAC Development Strategy. Additionally, the programme works on the level of individual capacity development to equip staff of EAC and relevant regional organisations with the knowledge and skills to push regional integration forward as depicted in the EAC Vision 2050. 

SEAMPEC II is part of the technical development cooperation between the EAC and Germany. The political partner as well as the implementation partner is the EAC Secretariat in Arusha. The programme is funded by the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

**Your Tasks**

You will support the programme team in the implementation of the SEAMPEC II programme, which aims at improving the institutional and regulatory framework conditions for regional and continental trade in the East African Community. In particular, you will support the areas of communication, monitoring and knowledge management.

**This includes:**

•	Supporting the team in day-to-day activities such as logistical support for national and regional meetings, drafting minutes of the meetings, online research, filing etc.
•	Support the team in developing content for the EAC-Germany website and social media appearance (incl. development of graphics)
•	Supporting the updating and managing of the results monitoring tool for SEAMPEC II
•	Supporting the team in working with local subsidy partners from the private sector and civil society organizations to build capacities in their communications and project reporting

**Your Profile**

You have a bachelor’s or masters’ degree in studies such as Business, Economics, Politics, Communication, Graphic Design or another to the tasks related field of studies. You possess basic knowledge and ideally also experience in communication (incl. graphic design) and/or monitoring and the East African Community integration process. 

Good intercultural skills, experience in working in an international context, excellent communication and cooperation skills and strategic thinking are among your special strengths. You can express your thoughts very well in writing and orally in English; knowledge of German is not required but would be an additional benefit. You can explain complex facts and circumstances in easily understandable language. You are a good team player, well organized, able to work independently and grasp new topics and knowledge areas quickly. You are a proficient user of the Microsoft Office applications.

**Assignment Period and deadline for submission of application**

**01.04.2023 - 30.09.2023**; 

Only applications (soft copies) which reach us by 16 March will be considered.  All applications should be sent to the following contact: **Mr Marius Weist (eac-germancooperation@giz.de)**

You will be paid a monthly subsidy allowance.

**Other information**

Please be informed that you are only allowed to apply for this internship, if you are currently enrolled as a student or have graduated not longer than six months ago.

GIZ would like to increase the proportion of employees with disability. Applications from persons with disabilities are most welcome.







Internship Opportunity - Intern for the Programme SEAMPEC II in the areas of communication, monitoring and knowledge management (GIZ)

As a federal enterprise, the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) supports the German Government in achieving its objectives in the field of international cooperation for sustainable development.

For our operations in Arusha, Tanzania, we are looking for a citizen of the East African Community (EAC) for the position as

**Intern for the Projects “Support to Pandemic Preparedness in the EAC Region” and “Global Programme Pandemic Prevention and Response, One Health” in the area of project management and operations**

**Field of Activity**

The “Support to Pandemic Preparedness in the EAC Region” (PanPrep) project was initially launched in 2017 with the aim of supporting the EAC Partner States to strengthen the prevention and control of outbreaks of infectious diseases with epidemic potential. PanPrep involves stakeholders from the EAC Partner States in all its activities. The regional approach aims to create structures and capacities relevant for all EAC Partner States to facilitate a uniform, effective, responsible and balanced approach in pandemic preparedness at regional and national government levels. The project builds capacities at institutional, individual and community level. It supports mainstreaming of the One Health approach in the EAC region and institutionalises risk and crisis communication at the EAC Secretariat with the objective of empowering citizens to take informed decisions related to existing or emerging risks. Food safety, WASH implementation at border posts and surrounding communities and the establishment of an EAC regional pool of rapidly deployable experts are among the agreed activity areas with the EAC Secretariat.

The objective of Global Programme on Pandemic Prevention and Response, One Health (GP PPOH) is to ensure that selected countries and regional organisations are better able to take effective measures to prevent and combat epidemics and pandemics within the framework of the One Health approach. A regional package aims at implementing the regional One Health Strategy in the East African Community (EAC) to institutionalize One Health in the region. The GP PPOH priorities identified during a programme appraisal with the EAC Secretariat in 2021 are built around five outputs. The outputs are focused on institutionalising a One Health approach in the EAC Secretariat, capacity development in pandemic prevention and response through a One Health approach, prevention and control of transboundary animal diseases and zoonoses, food safety and support to establishing the EAC regional rapidly deployable pool of experts through a test deployment. 

The PanPrep and GP PPOH projects are working in close cooperation and alignment with the overarching objective to support pandemic preparedness and response in the EAC region.  

**Your Tasks**

The intern will support the implementation of the PanPrep and GP PPOH projects, which aims at supporting pandemic preparedness and response efforts in the EAC and the EAC Partner States, including Burundi, Democratic Republic of the Congo, Kenya, Rwanda, South Sudan, Tanzania and Uganda. In particular, the intern will support general project management, including communications and other daily operations.

**This includes:**

•	Supporting project management and the team in day-to-day activities such as logistical support of meetings, minutes of the meetings compilation, online research etc.
•	Supporting the liaison with the staff in the relevant Departments of the EAC Secretariat on administrative and logistic proceedings
•	Supporting the monitoring and evaluation of the PanPrep and GP PPOH projects, including ongoing activity reporting to the EAC Secretariat, contributions to regular operation planning meetings (preparation, documentation) with the EAC Secretariat partners, etc.
•	Supporting the external communication of the PanPrep and GP PPOH projects, including in the social media and through the development of articles on events 
•	Supporting the ongoing updating of PanPrep and GP PPOH project information such as on the EAC-Germany website
•	Supporting the backstopping of the PanPrep activities to institutionalise risk and crisis communication at the EAC Secretariat, including drafting and editing of press releases and other content for the newly established RCC portal at the EAC Secretariat
•	Supporting other adhoc tasks in the thematic scope of the PanPrep and GP PPOH projects, as required

**Your Profile**

You have a bachelor’s or master’s degree in Social or Political Sciences, Economics, Communications or another related area. You possess basic knowledge and experience in project management, regional collaboration and development cooperation. Basic knowledge and experiences in the field of pandemic preparedness and response and/or One Health are an asset. Practical experiences in the field of communications would be an additional advantage. 

Good intercultural skills, experience in working in an international context, excellent communication and cooperation skills and strategic thinking are among your strengths. You can express your thoughts very well in writing and orally in English. Good command of French is an advantage; knowledge of German is not required but would be an additional benefit. You are a team player, well organized, able to work independently and in time-constraint settings, grasp new topics and knowledge areas quickly. You are a proficient user of the Microsoft Word, Excel and PowerPoint.

**Assignment Period and deadline for submission of application**

**01.04.2023 – 30.09.2023**;

Only applications (soft copies) which reach us by 12 March 2023 will be considered.  

**What we offer** 

You will be paid a fixed lump sum. 

**Other information**

Please be informed that you are only allowed to apply for this internship, if you are currently enrolled as a student or have graduated not longer than six months ago.

GIZ would like to increase the proportion of employees with disability. Applications from persons with disabilities are most welcome.

**Contact**: Ms Wiebke Kobel (eacppoh@giz.de) 




Internship Opportunity - Intern for the Project PanPrep and GP PPOH in the area of Project Management and Operations (GIZ)

The 22nd edition of the annual EAC Jua Kali/Nguvu Kazi Exhibition, was held from 8 to 18 December at the Kololo Independence Grounds in Kampala, Uganda under the theme “Buy East African to Build East Africa for Resilience and Sustainable Development”. 

The main objective of the trade fair was to contribute towards the realization of the region’s development goals and aspirations by lending support to the budding Small and Medium Enterprises (SMEs) sector of the economy.  Further, the trade fair created considerable impact on the image of SMEs, which are seen as the panacea to the daunting question of unemployment and poverty alleviation in the region.

The fair attracted more than 1,000 SMEs from all the seven EAC Partner States. GIZ via the “Support to East African Integration” programme, dubbed SEAMPEC II, showcased its activities in Kampala and supported SMEs in fruits and vegetables, leather and leather products to showcase their products, network, build their capacity and sell their products.

In addition, a GIZ-specific session on the opportunities for SMEs presented by the African Continental Free Trade Area (AfCFTA) was organized. Mr. Lamech Wesonga, Economic Policy Advisor GIZ, informed over 1,000 attendees that AfCFTA will boost intra-African trade through consumption of locally produced goods and create opportunities for a digital trade through the promotion of e-commerce. It would therefore be vital to support the engagement of SMEs in AfCFTA processes, which is done by SEAMPEC II, e.g., via awareness creation and capacity development measures.

Mr. Wesonga emphasized that for AfCFTA to work successfully and for SMEs to maximize benefits in trading under the AfCFTA, the following should be addressed:

- Support integration of SMEs into regional value chains through production linkages and awareness creation.
- Partner States to create enabling environment to increase production capacities of SMEs inclusivity.
- Partner States should facilitate inclusiveness (youth, persons with disabilities) in exploiting existing and potential opportunities.
- Partner States to explore technical assistance to enhance skills gaps for implementing AfCFTA effectively.
- Partner States to strengthen regional value chains to attract local and foreign investors in existing and new sectors and form linkages between dominant agricultural sector and other sectors.
- Partner States to promote access to affordable credit for SMEs.
- Partner States to provide efficient transport system by enhancing efficiency and coordination.
- Partner States to provide reliable and affordable energy which is necessary for production.
- Partner states to ensure continuous technological innovation and an increased access to technology.
- Need to enhance collaboration with private sector, civil society, and other actors to create awareness on the opportunities of AfCFTA. 

Similarly, SMEs participating in the exhibition highlighted some of the challenges they are facing in conducting cross-border trade. Therefore, in addition to other policy interventions, SMEs recommended to the EAC Partner States the following to improve their participation in regional and continental trade:

- Have different tiers at the bureau of standards which could support the different categories of private sector including SMEs in securing standards easily and quickly as the current system only meet the demands and capacity of big companies.
- Partner States to provide financial support to SMEs in securing standards and marketing their products across the region, continent and internationally especially through B2Bs.
- Partner States to reduce the timeline for processing the standards to facilitate more application for standards. 
- Partner States to provide business support such as mentorship, coaching and networking/linkages to grow SMEs capacity.

Find more information on SEAMPEC II programme [here](https://www.eacgermany.org/projects/support-to-east-african-market-driven-and-people-centered-integration-seampec).


GIZ Supports EAC’s Small and Medium Enterprises to tap into Regional and Continental Trade Opportunities (GIZ)

On 19 January, the East Africa Community (EAC) Secretariat with the support of the GIZ Global Programme Pandemic Prevention and Response, One Health (GP PPOH) convened the First EAC Annual Partners’ Forum on One Health in Arusha, Tanzania. One Health (OH) represents a holistic, interdisciplinary approach to health that recognizes the interconnectedness and interdependence of humans, animals and the environment.

Under the theme “Strengthening pandemic preparedness and response in East Africa through One Health: The power of partnerships", the forum provided a platform for stakeholders to explore the potential for enhanced OH coordination and collaboration in the EAC with the aim to strengthening and institutionalizing the OH approach in the EAC region.

It brought together over 100 partners implementing and supporting the OH approach in the region. Experts from the public sector, international agencies, civil society as well as academia shared their lessons learnt and discussed possible actions to prevent and respond to future pandemics in the EAC. All discussions reflected on the experiences made during the COVID-19 pandemic and other recent disease outbreaks in the region.

“We need to build community capacity and ensure that One Health is cascaded down to the community,” urged Samuel Wanjohi, Kenya Country Manager, Africa One Health University Network (AFROHUN), underlining the central role of local communities to implement the OH approach in practice.

The forum also presented an opportunity to highlight the commitments made by the EAC Secretariat, Partner States and other OH stakeholders in the region as demonstrated in the Regional EAC One Health Strategy 2022-2027, which was adopted by the Ministers of Health of EAC Partner States in July 2022. The strategy aims at promoting and institutionalizing a multi-sectoral and multi-disciplinary OH approach in the region. 

Being the first of its kind, the forum established grounds for increased OH stakeholder engagement in the region. Participants jointly developed recommendations for intensified advocacy, partnerships and coordination around pandemic prevention and response in the future.

“Achieving the overarching goal of the Regional EAC One Health Strategy will require coordination across sectors and collaboration through joint efforts and engagement of relevant stakeholders at all levels from the community to the regional level, with support on the continent and globally”, noted Dr Irene Isaka, Director Social Sectors, EAC. 

**Background**

The Global Programme on Pandemic Prevention and Response, One Health (GP PPOH) is part of the EAC-German technical development cooperation, implemented by the Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH on behalf of the German Federal Ministry of Economic Cooperation and Development (BMZ).

Find more information on EAC and Health [here](https://www.eacgermany.org/sector/health).

Find more information on the GP PPOH project [here](https://www.eacgermany.org/projects/global-programme-on-pandemic-prevention-and-response-one-health).


East African Community Convenes the 1st Annual Partners’ Forum on One Health in Arusha, Tanzania (GIZ)

As an international cooperation enterprise for sustainable development with worldwide operations, the federally owned Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH supports the German Government in achieving its development-policy objectives. 

The programme Digital Skills for an innovative East African Industry (dSkills@EA) is currently looking to fill the position of Advisor Communications and Trainings

**Duty station:** Arusha

**Terms of the contract:** Fixed term

**Responsibilities**

The advisor is responsible for

- Managing the external communication of the project and advisory to its partners 
- Managing the output area of digital skills trainings that forms part of the programme objectives
- Monitoring & evaluation of the overall project implementation towards its indicators
- Innovation and knowledge management within the project and East African Community (EAC) GIZ cluster of projects and the wider GIZ network

**Tasks**

**1.	External communication, Marketing**

The advisor

- Advises project partners on their external communication / marketing efforts and guides the implementation of the project’s communication strategy in alignment with the partners’ communication experts
- Strengthens the regional visibility of the Centre of Excellence for ICT in East Africa (CENIT@EA) and its achievements
- Develops and updates branding materials for the project such as brochures, flyers, banners in adherence to the GIZ design guidelines
- Writes press releases, articles and success stories as well as content for the website and social media channels 
- Liaises with the colleagues in the project and the cluster communication focal person for the development of communication material and content

**2.	Digital skills trainings**

The advisor

- Manages the procurement process of an external consultant for the project’s digital skills trainings in alignment with the partner and the project’s objectives
- Prepares and coordinates the commissioning of the consultant for the implementation of the trainings
- Coordinates in close consultation with the project partners and relevant stakeholders the implementation of the digital skills trainings
- Monitors the development and implementation of the trainings along an agreed workplan
- Organizes workshops, seminars and other events or meetings on issues connected with digital skills trainings

**3.	Monitoring and Evaluation**

The advisor

- Develops a monitoring and evaluation system for the project
- Conducts the monitoring and evaluation of project activities and results in line with the project’s objectives and indicators
- Coordinates the reporting of project achievements and its impact to GIZ and BMZ

**4.	Knowledge Management**

The advisor

- Ensures knowledge transfer within the project and to other projects in the EAC cluster as well as the wider GIZ network
- Draws up reports and presentation documents for internal and external presentations
- Prepares appropriate inputs for presentations and contributions to project reports including annual reports, and contributes to other reports required by the project manager and GIZ Head Office

**Required qualifications, competences, and experience**

**Qualifications**
- At least a bachelor degree (master degree preferred) in studies such as communisation, marketing, journalism, public relations, business, or another field that is related to the required tasks
- 5 years professional experience and 3 years in a comparable position in a related area (digitalisation, regional integration, education, innovation)
- Professional experience in external communication and/or digital skills trainings
- Professional experience working with the East African Community or M&E a plus 
- Professional experience in an international context and with international institutions; experience in development cooperation a plus 
- Very good working knowledge of standard office IT and computer applications, especially MS Office
- Knowledge of IT programmes for photo and video-editing is a plus 
- Experience in web design and content production is a plus
- Excellent written and verbal communication and presentation skills in English (knowledge of German is a plus)
- Team player mentality, strong communication and organizational skills, intercultural competences, culture-sensitive, professional behavior, humor
- Willingness to undertake upskilling capacity building as agreed with the manager and in line with the personal development plan

**Applications:**

Interested candidates should send their letter of application together with the CV and copies of academic certificates by email to **hr.giz-tanzania@giz.de.**

Please use the subject line **“Advisor Communication and Trainings”.**

Closing date for submission: **20.01.2023**

Only shortlisted candidates will be contacted.

GIZ Tanzania is an equal opportunities employer and encourages applications from all qualified and eligible candidates regardless of their gender, origin, religion/belief, disability, or any other minority group.












Employment Opportunity - Advisor Communication and Trainings dSkills@EA (GIZ)

Food and cosmetics are among the most widely traded products in the East African region. Due to their impact on the health of consumers, these products are highly regulated by all the Partner States. It is a challenge that each Partner State has different criteria, requirements and responsible institutions, which makes cross-border movement of these products confusing, time consuming and costly. By 2018, the EAC Secretariat had developed a roadmap with practical steps to address this challenge. But first, it was essential to develop a framework with agreed criteria for products to be registered and certified, how this would be verified across the Partner State, and cleared at the borders. 

Since 2019, MARKUP has walked with the Secretariat at every step of this journey. "Within the EAC framework for facilitating trade in food and some cosmetics, there was a provision to develop criteria for registration, certification and verification of the pre-packaged food. So, the EAC approached GIZ, and they supported us in the development of those criteria," explained Stella Apolot, Principal Standards Officer at the EAC Secretariat. 

Under the criteria, four categories of pre-packaged foods are identified and a logical and clear guidance on how to make the decision for registration and certification as well border clearance is prescribed. The criteria are the basis upon which the EAC Partner States accept the results of each other’s control systems for pre-packaged foods as providing the same level of protection as their own. "The implementation of these criteria will achieve broader cooperation and collaboration among the different competent authorities of the EAC Partner States, enhance trade facilitation and protect consumers," Ms. Apolot added. 

Following the approval of the harmonised criteria in 2021, GIZ through MARKUP embarked on paving the way for its implementation. 

First, GIZ supported the training and sensitisation of 211 officials at 20 strategic border points in the region. 46 institutions were represented, including those responsible for standards, customs, health, agriculture, among others. The sensitisation revealed that some aspects of the criteria were already being implemented uniformly. This was especially the case for products bearing the certification mark for EAC harmonised standards, which were allowed easier entry. For novel food products, Kenya and Uganda had developed generic criteria to evaluate safety and facilitate cross-border trade. Overall, the officials were positive about the intervention which they said was long overdue.

The second important step was assessing the capacity of the responsible institutions in all the Partner States to perform the roles assigned to them. The review encompassed national laboratory testing capacities; processes, procedures, collaboration mechanisms; principles applied for registration, certification, verification, and clearance; and quality and labelling requirements. It was completed in July 2022 and identified gaps in a range of areas, including lack of appropriate equipment and materials, duplication of processes and inadequate technical skills. 

The third and final step supported by MARKUP was the development of a national and regional mechanism to co-ordinate the implementation of the criteria. This has also been completed. "Now we are carrying out awareness creation events in the capitals of all Partner States and support them to establish the coordinating committees," said Ms Apolot. "We are really excited to have walked hand in hand with the Secretariat to make the harmonised criteria a reality during the four years of MARKUP. It is an important milestone and will go a long way in streamlining the movement of food products in the Community," highlighted Estella Aryada, GIZ Programme Coordinator of MARKUP. 

Find more information on MARKUP as part of the SEAMPEC II programme [here](https://www.eacgermany.org/projects/support-to-east-african-market-driven-and-people-centered-integration-seampec).

Find more achievements and impact stories in the Four Years of MARKUP publication [here](https://strapi.eacgermany.org/uploads/4_Years_MARKUP_1_d0e931785c.pdf).


March 31st, 2023