Mission and Objectives
The United Nations Office on Drugs and Crime (UNODC) is the global leader in the fight for global peace, security, human rights, and developed. UNODC helps promotes justice and the rule of law with a view to making the world safer from drugs, organized crime, corruption and terrorism. Because the scale of these problems is often too great for states to confront alone, UNODC offers practical assistance and encourages transnational approaches to action. UNODC is committed to supporting Member States in implementing the 2030 Agenda for Sus-tainable Development and the 17 Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) at its core. UNODC works closely with Governments and civil society towards building security and justice for all.
Established in 1997 in Cairo, the UNODC Regional Office for the Middle East and North Africa (ROMENA) supports Member States to be safer from drugs, organized crime, corruption, and terrorism. ROMENA has programme offices in Algeria, Iraq, Jordan, Lebanon, Libya, Morocco, Palestine, Sudan, South Sudan, Tunisia, and Yemen with more than 130 personnel.
The UNODC Office in Tunis plays a pivotal role in supporting Tunisian authorities through a wide array of projects spanning several thematic areas. These projects cover crucial topics such as combating drug trafficking, preventing terrorism, fostering criminal justice reform, and tackling corruption and illicit financial flows. The office works closely with national stakeholders to build capacity, enhance legal frameworks, and implement international standards and norms. By providing technical assistance, training, and policy advice, the UNODC Office in Tunis aims to bolster Tunisia's efforts in creating a safer, more just, and resilient society. Through its comprehensive approach, the office addresses both the symptoms and root causes of crime and drug-related challenges, ensuring a holistic contribution to the country's stability and security.
Context
In 2009, UNODC established a Counter Piracy Programme (CPP) to respond to the then new threat of piracy off the coast of Somalia. Since then, the CPP expanded into the GMCP including regional teams, namely the Atlantic Ocean Team, the Gulf of Aden and Red Sea Team, the Indian Ocean West Team, the Indian Ocean East Team, the Latin America & Caribbean Team, the Mediterranean Team and the Pacific Ocean Team. GMCP supports United Nations member states to combat maritime crime including piracy, smuggling, trafficking in persons, and trafficking of illegal substances. GMCP’s support to member states includes training of officers from maritime law enforcement agencies, the provision and maintenance of equipment, and communication and coordination initiatives between agencies and regional states to improve the exchange of good practices and strengthen the overall criminal justice chain to disrupt maritime crime. GMCP has developed a strong training component through delivering Visit, Board, Search and Seizure (VBSS) training courses for maritime law enforcement (MLE) agencies that enhance the technical and practical knowledge and law enforcement to combat maritime crime in line with a sound rule of law framework. In Lebanon, the UNODC GMCP works with maritime law enforcement agencies to support their activities to counter maritime crime and also promote regional exchange of knowledge.
Task Description
Under the overall supervision of the GMCP Programme Coordinator for the Mediterranean, the International UN Volunteer (Expert) will provide substantive technical, analytical, and programme support to the Global Maritime Crime Programme (GMCP) and perform the following duties:
- Provide substantive support to the design, implementation, monitoring and evaluation of programme activities under the Global Maritime Crime Programme, ensuring alignment with UNODC priorities, project objectives and regional operational realities.
- Contribute to the identification and analysis of technical assistance and capacity-building needs of maritime law enforcement, criminal justice and other relevant authorities, and support the development of sustainable strategies to strengthen responses to maritime crime.
- Provide technical and programme support to project planning and management processes, including the preparation and review of project and budget revisions, costed workplans, terms of reference and other project documentation related to maritime crime initiatives.
- Conduct research and analysis on illicit trafficking and maritime crime trends and related criminal justice challenges in the Mediterranean region, and synthesize findings to inform programme planning, policy dialogue and operational decision-making.
- Contribute substantive inputs to policy coordination, monitoring, and evaluation functions, including the review of emerging risks, trends, and operational challenges, and participation in evaluations and programme reviews as required.
- Draft and review substantive written outputs, including background papers, briefing notes, analytical notes, sections of reports, donor updates, studies and inputs to publications related to maritime crime and criminal justice responses in the region.
- Provide substantive and organizational support to consultative meetings, workshops, training events, conferences and other programme activities, including contributing to agenda development, identification of participants, preparation of background documents, presentations and meeting records.
- Provide technical and programme support to administrative, procurement and financial processes underpinning GMCP activities, including through the drafting and review of procurement documentation, consultant-related documentation, payment requests and related follow-up, ensuring consistency with UN financial rules and regulations and programme objectives.
- Assist in the preparation and monitoring of project budgets, workplans and expenditure tracking, and support timely planning and implementation of activities.
- Support and, as required, participate in field missions in the region to provide technical input, support programme monitoring, engage stakeholders, and contribute to mission reporting and follow up recommendations.
- Contribute to the preparation and maintenance of project documentation, including project plans, progress reports, meeting minutes, records of decisions, contracts, invoices and other relevant programme files.
- Facilitate coordination with national counterparts, partner institutions, and relevant stakeholders to strengthen information exchange, programme coherence, and implementation effectiveness.
- Perform other related professional duties within the scope of the Expert role, as required to support effective delivery of GMCP objectives.