| Overview : UNDP has been co-organizing the Tokyo International Conference on African Development (TICAD) which was initiated in 1993, with the Government of Japan, and has since then grown into a key high level policy forum for African development. UNDP has consistently supported the successful expansion and evolution of the TICAD process, and provided critical support in substantive, programmatic, technical and operational areas. With 11,000 high level participants including the large number of business representatives from Japan, TICAD VI, held in Africa (Nairobi, Kenya), proved to be the largest and most successful TICAD summit In the lead up to the TICAD Ministerial Meeting in Tokyo in 2018 and TICAD7 in Yokohama in 2019, UNDP Representation Office in Tokyo strategically plans to accelerate its support to broadening the base of Japanese private sector engaging in African development, given that African and Japanese governments increasingly aspire to promote business intervention. In response to their strong requests for enhanced dialogues and exchange between African and Japanese business sectors, UNDP will organize a large-scale “Japan-Africa Business Dialogue” at the margins of the TICAD Ministerial Meeting in early October, jointly with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Japan (MoFA) and JETRO. In this regard, TICAD Private Sector Consultant stationed at the UNDP Representation Office in Tokyo will perform strategic functions to broaden and deepen UNDP’s network and partnerships with the private sector, foremost to contribute to the successful organization of the business side event held during the Ministerial Meeting. S/he will be accountable for mobilizing the private sector and key stakeholdersto the event and set up bilateral meetings between key stakeholders where requested, in close liaison with JETRO and MOFA. In addition to the side event during the Ministerial Meeting, the consultant is further expected to support expansion of Japanese business engagement in Africa through vigorous outreach activities in form of communication and several events. While the overall advocacy and communication plan on TICAD and Africa’s development has been developed and is being implemented by the TICAD Partnership Specialist in close consultation with MoFA and in collaboration with the other TICAD co-organizers, the TICAD Private Sector Consultant will be responsible mainly for organization of business workshops and increased engagement of private sector in the upcoming advocacy events . To strategically implement the above activities, the consultant is expected to utilize the network and expertise established through the SDGs Holistic Innovation Platform (SHIP) which UNDP Representation Office launched in 2016 with the Japan Innovation Network (JIN), to promote business engagement for the SDGs. Further, s/he is requested to conduct a periodic research on the latest business cases and models in Africa, to well understand its trends including innovative solutions, to be familiar with UNDP’s support in Africa in relation to private sector development, and to proactively approach business entities for their participation and contribution to the planned events, and workshops. Further, s/he will serve as a focal point for direct consultations with individual business entities, connecting them to relevant offices of UNDP in case they are in search for local support in Africa. In addition, s/he is expected to support logistical/operational coordination for the entire TICAD-related events and meetings in liaison with the TICAD Partnership Specialist. |
