Economic Diplomacy

To develop and deliver a high-quality, practice-oriented training programme on economic diplomacy that is tailored to Arab States and equips participants with substantive understanding, practical tools and applied skills relevant to diplomatic work on economic issues.

Background Economic diplomacy has assumed growing importance in the Arab region in a context of shifting global and regional economic conditions. Arab countries are increasingly required to navigate a complex environment characterized by economic uncertainty, trade and supply-chain disruptions, debt pressures, food and energy insecurity, climate-related risks, technological change and evolving regional and international partnerships. These developments call for strengthened diplomatic capacities to engage effectively on economic issues in bilateral, regional and multilateral settings. In this context, ESCWA seeks to engage a consultant to develop and deliver an in-person training programme that equips diplomats and relevant officials with practical knowledge and tools in economic diplomacy, with due regard to the specific circumstances and policy priorities of the Arab region. Under the direct supervision of the Secretary of the Commission and Chief of External Relations and Outreach at ESCWA, the Consultant on Economic Diplomacy will undertake the following duties: 1. Develop the substantive and methodological framework for a training programme on economic diplomacy tailored to the needs and priorities of diplomats in member States. 2. Prepare the full set of training materials, including: (a) a detailed training agenda; (b) session outlines and facilitator notes; (c) presentation materials; (d) participant reference materials; (e) case studies and practical exercises; (f) simulation materials, as appropriate; and (g) pre-training and post-training assessment tools. 3. Ensure that the training content addresses the principal economic diplomacy challenges facing the Arab region, including, trade and investment trends, economic vulnerability, food and energy security, debt and fiscal pressures, regional integration, reconstruction and resilience, geoeconomic fragmentation, digital transformation and climate-related economic risks. 4. Develop practical tools for use by diplomats in economic diplomacy, including templates, analytical frameworks and applied guidance for economic briefing, stakeholder mapping, negotiation preparation, opportunity identification and policy communication. 5. Deliver the training in person, using interactive and practice-oriented methods suited to adult professional learning. 6. Facilitate discussion and applied exercises in a manner that strengthens participants’ understanding of the role of economic diplomacy in advancing national priorities and regional cooperation.

A Master’s degree or equivalent in economics, international relations, public policy, international political economy, development studies, law or a related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with additional qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced degree. All candidates must submit a copy of the required education degree. A minimum of 15 years of progressively responsible experience in economic diplomacy, international economic relations, diplomatic training or a related area is required. Designing and delivering professional training programmes is desirable. Working with diplomats, foreign ministries, or regional or international organizations is desirable. Preparing applied policy and training materials for professional audiences is desirable.

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat; and Arabic is a working language of ESCWA. For this position, fluency in English is required. Fluency in Arabic is desirable. Knowledge of French is desirable. Note: “Fluency” equals a rating of ‘fluent’ in all four areas (speak, read, write, and understand) and “Knowledge of” equals a rating of ‘confident’ in two of the four areas.

Not available.