Result of ServiceThe consultant will consult and coordinate with ABS PMO; this may include virtual meetings as deemed necessary. The ultimate result of the service of the consultancy is to ensure: • Review of relevant laws, regulation and policies relating to ABS in South Sudan • Undertake stakeholder mapping and analysis. • Undertake a situation analysis of ABS implementation in South Sudan • Identify focus areas and develop strategic objectives and key result areas, through a consultative process and application of an appropriate tool of analysis • Review the institutional capacity, organizational set-up, financial and administrative systems and identify strategic objectives and key result areas; and make recommendations, • Conduct stakeholders’ consultation meetings at selected provincial and local levels. • Hold stakeholder meeting(s) to validate the draft ABS Strategy and Action Plan. • Propose possible competent national authorities, checkpoints and develop a training need assessment. Work LocationHome Based Expected duration3 months Duties and ResponsibilitiesBackground: The United Nations Environment Programme (UNEP) is the leading global environmental authority that sets the global environmental agenda, promotes the coherent implementation of the environmental dimension of sustainable development within the United Nations system and serves as an authoritative advocate for the global environment. UNEP's Law Division is the lead Division charged with carrying out the functions of UNEP in the field of environmental law and environmental governance through law, national and international governance, and related policy issues, including those related to Multilateral Environmental Agreements (MEAs). The Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization (ABS) was adopted at the tenth meeting of the Conference to the Parties on 29 October 2010, in Nagoya, Japan. Its objective is the fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources, thereby contributing to the conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity and implementing the three objectives of the CBD. The Nagoya Protocol provides an implementation mechanism for CBD objective 3 by providing a global legal, policy and administrative framework. The Nagoya Protocol also covers traditional knowledge (TK) associated with genetic resources that are covered by the CBD and the benefits arising from its utilization. The Government of South Sudan is in the process of putting in place all relevant legal and institutional frameworks to become a Party to the Nagoya Protocol, and by becoming a party to Nagoya Protocol, the Government of South Sudan will be committed to implement the provisions of ABS by formulating conducive national policies and programmes. National legal instruments are imperative to create legal certainty with clarity and transparency that provide fair and non-arbitrary rules and procedures. Establishing clear rules and procedures ensuresprior informed consent (PIC) and mutually agreed terms (MAT) by issuance of a permit or equivalent when access is granted. This is expected to create optimal conditions to promote research on different dimension of conservation, sustainable utilization of genetic resources and associated traditional knowledge in South Sudan The GEF funded project entitled Capacity support for accession to and implementation of the Nagoya Protocol on Access to Genetic Resources and the Fair and Equitable Sharing of Benefits Arising from their Utilization in South Sudan is being executed by Ministry of Environment and Forestry/Department of Biodiversity with technical support from UNEP. The objective of the project is to strengthen national capacities to support the accession to the Nagoya Protocol and to establish a functioning national legal and institutional framework to ensure fair and equitable sharing of benefits arising from the utilization of genetic resources in South Sudan. The project seeks to achieve through its 3 components namely: Component 1: Strengthening policy, legislative and regulatory frameworks enabling accession to the Nagoya Protocol and compliance with the obligations arising from the Protocol; Component 2: Establishing institutional arrangements and administrative systems to implement the Nagoya Protocol; Component 3: Awareness raising, and capacity building of all stakeholders to contribute to implementation of the Nagoya Protocol. To create a conducive environment for effective implementation of the ABS policies, laws and regulatory frameworks in South Sudan, UNEP/Law Division which provides technical assistance and advisory services to the project, has initiated support in the preparation of an ABS Strategy and Action Plan for South Sudan. The consultant will work under the supervision of the Nagoya Protocol on Access and Benefit Sharing Programme Management Officer - Environmental Conventions and Policy Branch, Law Division, UNEP. Duties and Responsibilities: The primary scope of this consultancy is to prepare a ten-year ABS Strategy and Action Plan, which should broadly cover the following areas: • Propose a strategy for achieving the strategic objectives and key results. • Develop action plan for the protection of rights of local and indigenous communities, protection of traditional knowledge, capacity building of stakeholders, institutional framework, communication strategy and knowledge management, gender and social inclusion, etc. • Prepare a resource framework for the plan period. • Propose possible competent national authorities, checkpoints and develop a training need assessment. Qualifications/special skillsAdvanced university degree (Master's degree or equivalent) in environmental law, environment, sustainable development, natural resources management, international relations, or a related field is required. A first-level university degree in combination with seven years qualifying experience may be accepted in lieu of the advanced university degree. A minimum of 7 years of experience in environmental law is required including at least 4 years of experience working on drafting legal instruments related to Multilateral Environmental Agreements and the implementation of the Nagoya Protocol and ABS regimes. A good/broad understanding of conservation of biodiversity and related international frameworks and commitments is required. Proven expertise in policy formulation and programme/project development is required. At least 3 years of experience in drafting legal instruments in the context of South Sudan, and/or East African region preferably in the ABS and environment and natural resources area is desirable. LanguagesEnglish and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. For this position, fluency in oral and written English is required. Additional InformationOutput 1: Identify possible checkpoints National ABS strategy and action plan developed, submitted and validated in a coordinated and participatory approach. i. Prepare first draft ABS strategy and action plan for discussion with the National Project Team ii. Proposed list of Competent National Authorities and their roles iii. Proposed list of check points for ABS in South Sudan Estimated workdays / deliverables: 12.5 days Output 2: Conduct a capacity and training need assessments for South Sudan in the area of ABS. i. Finalize the draft ABS strategy and action plan incorporate comments and submit the revised draft for peer review ii. Conduct ABS strategy and action plan validation workshop, incorporate the comments from peer reviewers and submit the final document of the ABS strategy and action plan for approval Estimated workdays / deliverables: 12.5 days No FeeTHE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.