Information Society (Digital Development) Expert

Client of United Nation careers

1 Background and Purpose  Towards the end of the previous decade, ESCWA launched a programme entitled the Arab States Action Programme on Advancing Digital Cooperation and Development (ASAP-ADCD), based on the urgent need to strengthen the links between ICTs and the sustainable development goals (SDGs), to identify existing gaps and develop a set of measures aimed at achieving these goals.   Building on this vision, the National Digital Development Review (NDDR) project was established, to assess (a) the progress made towards harnessing digital technologies for sustainable development, as well as the (b) challenges faced and (c) opportunities identified. The project represents a process that became a cornerstone for understanding national digital realities and guiding future regional actions.  Towards this purpose, ESCWA designed a Guiding Template aimed at assisting national focal points and experts in preparing comprehensive reviews and collecting relevant data on digital development. The Guiding Template was structured in line with the ESCWA conceptual framework for digital development, which integrates the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development within the WSIS action lines. This framework is organized into five clusters:  1. The national, regional, and international strategic frameworks. 2. Policies related to infrastructure, governance, and legal environment. 3. Policies related to digital economy, employment and trade. 4. Policies related to digital transformation and social inclusion. 5. Policies related to culture and media.  - The process began with an official invitation from ESCWA to member countries to conduct the first round of National Digital Development Reviews (NDDRs) for individual Arab countries in 2018–2019. The outcomes of these reviews informed the preparation of the Arab Digital Development Report 2019 – Towards Empowerment and Inclusion for All (ADDR 1.0), which represented a regional synthesis and assessment of digital development across the Arab region. - A second round of the NDDR process took place during 2021–2022, resulting in the preparation of NDDRs for 12 participating Arab countries. The collection and analysis of data during this period informed the development of the Arab Digital Development Report 2022 – Towards Empowerment and Inclusion for All (ADDR 2.0). The ADDR serves as the baseline for the Arab Digital Agenda (ADA), and both the report and the agenda follow the same five-cluster structure of the ESCWA conceptual framework. -  In response to lessons learned from earlier rounds, ESCWA reviewed the process in 2020 and 2025 and released updated editions of the Guiding Template, developed in consultation with national focal points to address the challenges experienced during the first national reviews. - Within the context of ADCD-ASAP programme; and based on the interest and recommendations of ESCWA member countries (EMCs), the third round/edition of the National Digital Development Reviews (NDDR 3.0) is currently ongoing and planned to be produced during 2025. ESCWA is currently working with member countries participating throughout the process. -  It is envisaged that NDDR 3.0 would feed into the ADDR 3.0 and in ADA 2.0. It would naturally be considered as the second biennial baseline for the envisaged regional implementation of the Arab Digital Agenda 2023-2033 and its associated blueprint for policymakers. Also, NDDR 3.0 would identify the gaps and the strengths at national level, that would be the basis to develop a National Digital Development Agenda (NDDA). In this context, Sudan, currently represented by the Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology, requested UN-ESCWA’s assistance to prepare their NDDR, and their NDDA, through hiring a national expert to assist the team at the ministry in the NDDR and NDDA preparation process of these 2 outputs. The provision of this advisory service is the subject of these terms of reference.  2 Duties and Responsibilities  Under the guidance of the director of cluster 4, and the supervision of the Chief of ICT Policies Digital Development on Digital Cooperation at ESCWA and in cooperation with the Ministry of Telecommunications and Information Technology in Sudan, the national expert will be entrusted with the following tasks:   a) Make use of the updated ESCWA Guiding manual v. 2.5 to build the structure of the NDDR and its outline. b) Research, gather and compile all needed data according to the main five clusters. c) Coordinate with the NDDR National Focal Point (NFP) to engage concerned partners, entities and stakeholders in providing the data and information needed for the NDDR.  d) Make sure to validate and clearly reference, where required, within the text and in endnotes, the data and information presented in the NDDR while Maintaining a comprehensive list of bibliography.  e) Produce the full final draft NDDR completely ready for conversion by the country into the full-fledged official national report. f) Assist the Ministry team and ESCWA team, in the development of the NDDA for Sudan, including suggesting a complete semifinal draft of the NDDA based on best practices, gap analysis and national needs; which should include goals, baselines and targets in line with the ADA.