| Overview : BACKGROUND AND CONTEXT The Gambia lies on the west coast of Africa. With a population of around 2 million and an area of 10,629 square kilometres, it is surrounded on three sides by neighboring Senegal, except for an 80 km coastline to the Atlantic Ocean. According to the IMF, nominal GDP per capita stands at $488, with high unemployment and poverty rates. The economy is largely based on agriculture, tourism, and the re-export trade to neighboring countries. Remittances from Gambians in the Diaspora also account for a significant portion of household as well as foreign exchange revenues. While The Gambia has only recorded 4 confirmed cases including one death, the socioeconomic impact of the COVID-19 pandemic has had major implications on the productive sector of a small and least developed country with a small economy that is heavily reliant on tourism, agriculture and remittance inflows. According to Ministry of Finance and Economic Affairs (MoFEA) data, the economic impact of the COVID-19 will lead to a loss of GMD2.5 billion and that the economy will shrink to by 3 percentage points to 3.3 percent from a projected growth rate of 6.3 percent in 2020. These impacts will not only negatively impact the realization of the National Development Plan (NDP 2018 - 2021) but also the SDG Goals (SDGs). Equally, the impact of COVID-19 has caused a multiplier effects on social protection, these include food insecurity as agricultural production has declined compare to 2018. OBJECTIVES AND RATIONALE The NDMA has the mandate to coordinate national Disasters such as the COVID-19 Pandemic including the formulation coordination, and resource mobilization of the National Response Plan of the COVID-19. The objective of this assignment is to strengthen the capacity of NDMA through the establishment of a COVID-19 Response Secretariat that will develop a response plan/strategies, coordinate the implementation of the plan, and forge partnerships towards the mobilisation of resources to support the implementation National COVID-19 Recovery Plan. The Response plan which will remain the quick win re-prioritize initiatives that will facilitate the transition and operationalization of the National Development Plan. INTERESTED BIDDERS SHOULD SUBMIT THEIR BIDS TO bids.gm@undp.org WITH SUBJECT TITLE; "Adviser to the National Disaster & Management Agency" | 
