Consultant, Supporting first phase of Developing the 2nd edition of the Arab Digital Agenda ADA2.0

Organizational Context

The Economic and Social Commission for Western Asia (ESCWA), in partnership with the League of Arab States (LAS), is developing the second edition of the Arab Digital Agenda (ADA 2.0). This initiative supports Arab countries in leveraging digital technologies for sustainable development and accelerating the 2030 Agenda. The role contributes to strengthening regional digital policy frameworks and promoting evidence-based digital development strategies across the Arab region.

Job Purpose

This consultancy role supports ESCWA and LAS in co-developing the first version of the Arab Digital Agenda 2.0 (ADA 2.0). The purpose is to create a comprehensive regional strategic framework and policy blueprint for digital development and cooperation in the Arab region for the next decade. The consultant will contribute to drafting, refining, and iterating on ADA 2.0, ensuring it aligns with international mandates, builds upon ADA 1.0 lessons learned, and incorporates findings from national and regional digital development reviews. The role is crucial for operationalizing regional commitments and advancing digital transformation pathways aligned with global and Arab regional visions.

Responsibilities

The consultant will develop an inception note and detailed workplan for ADA 2.0. Key duties include reviewing and providing feedback on evolving editions of the Arab Digital Development Report (ADDR) as regional baselines. The consultant will produce successive iterations and drafts of ADA 2.0, including provisional progress reports and proposed architectures for member countries. Responsibilities also encompass creating executive summaries, PowerPoint presentations, briefing materials, and a consolidated bibliography. All outputs must adhere to ESCWA's publication and anti-plagiarism requirements, be submitted in editable MS Word format, and include automatically generated tables of contents, lists of tables, and figures.

Work Experience

A minimum of 15 years of professional experience in ICT for development, digital transformation, digital policies, strategies, or Internet governance is required. Experience in digital governance, digital cooperation, AI governance, and multilateral digital policy processes is essential. Proven experience in drafting regional digital agendas, ICT strategies, or digital development reports is also required.

Skills

Proficiency in Arabic and English (written and spoken) is required. Skills include drafting regional digital agendas, ICT strategies, and digital development reports. Expertise in digital governance, digital cooperation, AI governance, and multilateral digital policy processes is necessary. Knowledge of digital development issues in the Arab region and experience with international/regional organizations are also key.

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