United Nations Human Settlements Programme

EGYPT Office

1 Ismael Abaza Street, Qasr El-Eny, Cairo 11516, Egypt

infohabitat@unhabitat.org, www.unhabitat.org

VACANCY ANNOUNCEMENT
REF. 21/01/2016
Issued on: 21-01-2016

ORGANIZATIONAL LOCATION:
DUTY STATION:
FUNCTIONAL TITLE:
GRADE:
POST DURATION:
CLOSING DATE:

UN-Habitat, Egypt Country Office

Cairo, Egypt
Planning consultant
National Consultant
11 months
4 February 2016

Background
The Urban Policies, Governance and Legislations program in Egypt tries to tackle the multidimensional context of urban planning and management and the challenges faced in the
implementation of Detailed Plans. The problem of the increasing share of sub-standard,
informally developed areas in the cities and towns of Egypt cannot be resolved without
reframing informal development to deliver sufficient spatial standard as well as explore
unconventional urban development mechanisms in new cities developed on desert land in order
to safeguard the valuable agricultural land. The realities necessitate finding the ways of making
sure that the informal development is channeled to provide acceptable spatial standards and
services by introducing other means, than legislation unsupported by effective enforcement, or
planning that is never implemented, or providing alternatives in locations that are not
economically viable for target population groups by development that is not affordable to them.
The main objective of the project is to ensure that the rapid urbanization process is achieved in
a controlled and sustainable manner.
The urban planner consultant will support the The Urban Policies, Governance and Legislations
program in Egypt to prepare and supervise the implementation od : 1) urban and agriculture
detailed plans for new agriculture settlements in the pilot governorates, 2) detailed and land
readjustment plan in a city extension pilot project, 3) Guideline for preparing detailed plans
from urban design perspective.

Consultant responsibilities:
The consultant tasks are divided into three components (A-B-C)

United Nations Human Settlements Programme

EGYPT Office

1 Ismael Abaza Street, Qasr El-Eny, Cairo 11516, Egypt

infohabitat@unhabitat.org, www.unhabitat.org

A Support on the preparation of Urban and agriculture detailed plans for new
agriculture settlements in the pilot governorates
1-Support on the Structural Regional Plan for Armant Markaz
Determination of relevant stakeholders (governorate and governmental officials, land
reclamation land owners and investors, ministerial representatives, etc.)
Reflection of the recommendations of the Strategic Regional Plan for Luxor
Governorate on the development vision for Armant Markaz ( showing proposed projects
in the current and new urban areas in the desert hinterland)
Survey and analysis of the current situation in the Markaz hinterland (2, 5 and 10 Km
tiers outside the existing agriculture zimam). Survey includes all existing and designated
land reclamation areas and economic projects according to secondary data obtained
from official resources such as the Governorate departments for land ownership or
investment, agriculture departments statistics and records, as well as recent aerial
maps (2015, 1 m- resolution images). Analysis include legal status of all activities in the
hinterland.
SWOT analysis for environmental, urban, social, and economic conditions for Armant
Markaz, focusing on strategic issues, and development problems, potentials and
opportunities.
Development strategy for the Markaz, emphasizing the proposals of the Governorate
Strategic Plan, and determining priority projects that achieve the Markaz development
vision.
List of priority projects in the markaz desert hinterland (2, 5 and 10 Km tiers).
Determining spatial location of development projects in existing and proposed urban
and rural areas.
Proposed Structural Regional Plan for the Markaz, showing transportation and roads
interconnections and spatial and functional integration between the existing and
proposed urban and rural areas.
Land suitability analyses for the location of proposed development projects, including
environmental analysis for soil and underground water resources, as well as
topography, flood drains, and other natural site features.
Expectation of the growth of investment demand for development projects.
Fine-tuning of special location, size, area, and program of priority projects to be
located in the desert hinterland.
Land use plan for the desert hinterland (2, 5 and 10 Km tiers), showing its subdivision
into development units.
Investment, economic and financing plans for selected development projects in the
desert hinterland.
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United Nations Human Settlements Programme

EGYPT Office

1 Ismael Abaza Street, Qasr El-Eny, Cairo 11516, Egypt

infohabitat@unhabitat.org, www.unhabitat.org

Time schedule reflecting priority for intervention within development units.

Selection of the development unit that will be detailed in the following phase
(Demonstration Detailed Plan). The development unit will include various types of
agriculture existing and proposed activities.
2-Support on the Demonstration Detailed Plan for a Development Unit
Land and urban survey for study area.
Locating land reclamation areas, current projects, and designated land according to
official records.
Detail of current land reclamation areas (production size and quality; soil suitability;
underground water quantity and potential; irrigation and drainage systems). Primary
data collection and analysis via soil reports for boreholes (one borehole/500 feddans)
Legal study on land tenure and ownership, including legal mechanisms including costbenefit analysis for alternative procedures/mechanisms for granting land ownership.
Alternatives for consolidating scattered agriculture ownerships into agriculture
production units.
SWOT analysis for current conditions, and land suitability analysis for agriculture,
industry, and urban uses.
Alternatives of detailed plan and their evaluation.
Demonstration Detailed Plan
Investment plan for proposed development projects.
Marketing and financial plans, determining a business model for management, land
designation and legal procedures, in addition to economic feasibility studies for
development projects.
3-General Recommendations for the Demonstration Project:
Mechanisms and Procedures for Planning, Legal and Institutional Reform
Reform procedures for legal system dealing with desert hinterland
Delineating administrative boundaries for local rural units as development units
Land ownership and tenure mechanisms
Administration procedures for legalized areas of agriculture projects and reclamation
land.
B- Support on the preparation of detailed and land readjustment plan in a city extension
pilot project
1-

Support on Participatory land readjustment planning

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United Nations Human Settlements Programme

EGYPT Office

1 Ismael Abaza Street, Qasr El-Eny, Cairo 11516, Egypt

infohabitat@unhabitat.org, www.unhabitat.org

The hired consultant will carry out Community Mobilization and Negotiation with
Stakeholders in order to reach a land readjustment proposal with the approval of more
than 66 % of the lands owners. This will be done through: In addition, the consultant is
to support on the preparation of two expert group meetings with key experts and senior
official policymakers regarding Land readjustment legal/ institutional framework and
implementation process.
Deliverables:

Updated detailed plan (if needed) and economic scenarios

Report documenting outputs of community meetings
Final Land re-adjustment draft scenario that more than 85% of the owners approved upon

Two presentations meant with Land readjustment legal/ institutional framework

and implementation process that shall be introduced in two expert group meetings.

2-

Submission of detailed plan and relevant documents to Urban Planning Department

The hired consultant will support on legitimizing of the land readjustment project by: 1)
Submission of detailed plan to the urban planning department. 2) Depending on which scenario
is chosen, support landowners in preparing their file to be presented to Real Estate Publicity
Department for a period of two months. 3) Provide technical follow up landowners in registering
land with Real Estate Publicity Department as necessary for a period of one month. 4) In addition
the consultant will carry on a comprehensive documentation and reporting on the whole project
that shall be submitted by the end of the project to Egypts Habitat office.

Deliverables:

Architectural boards for submission to planning department including all of the necessary
supporting documents as outlined in Law 119.
Land re-adjustment project plan and other technical documents
Documentation of support provided to landowners in preparing their file and the
challenges encountered.
Timeline report: The consultant is to draw out a complete timeline of the tasks
undertaken throughout the project. No analysis is needed. The timeline is to state brief
facts: what happened? When? With who?
Challenges report: This report is detailed towards describing the challenges faced
thought the project. No analysis is needed as to how these challenges were dealt with.

United Nations Human Settlements Programme

EGYPT Office

1 Ismael Abaza Street, Qasr El-Eny, Cairo 11516, Egypt

infohabitat@unhabitat.org, www.unhabitat.org

C - Guideline for preparing detailed plans from urban design perspective.

Support on writing clear and structured analytical reports outlining explanations of the planning
regulation upon request. In addition the hiring consultant will Support on final Guideline drafting
of three urban related guidelines for implementing of detailed plans

Deliverables:

Guide line for preparing detailed plans in Egypt with special reflection on urban design
regulations.
Setting the indicators and pillars for assisting detailed plans submitted by consultants.

Level of efforts and terms of payment

The consultancy will last for 11 months.
Payment will be in four installments as the following:
Payment

Explanation

Time
frame

1st
payment

delivering 50 % of requested services and submitting deliverables 50 days

required and approval by UN-Habitat Egypt for the first component

2nd
payment

delivering requested services and submitting deliverables required 25 days

and approval by UN-Habitat Egypt for the second component

3rd
payment

delivering requested services and submitting deliverables required 25 days

and approval by UN-Habitat Egypt for the third component

4th
payment

delivering the rest of the 50 % of requested services and submitting 50 days

deliverables required and approval by UN-Habitat Egypt for the first
component

Total

150 days

Qualifications:
Education: Advanced/ post-graduate university degree in urban planning, urban
sustainability or environmental studies. Knowledge in the field of urban development,
housing and urban development are required. Substantive demonstrated professional
experience in the area of strategic urban planning, urban policy and/or urban
management (preferably on a regional level). International experience is preferred.
Experience: Eight to 10 years of progressive experience in field related to Terms of
Reference of the consultancy assignment. Experience in implementing pro-poor
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United Nations Human Settlements Programme

EGYPT Office

1 Ismael Abaza Street, Qasr El-Eny, Cairo 11516, Egypt

infohabitat@unhabitat.org, www.unhabitat.org

development activities in area of expertise. Familiar with the process of preparing rapid
urban sector profiling or strategic urban plans. Strong familiarity with GOPP and UNHabitat strategic planning methodologies; familiarity with working with Government of
Egypt institutions in the field of strategic urban planning and/ or local development.
Language: For the post advertised fluency in oral and written English is required.
Other: Excellent writing and strong communication skills are essential. Exceptional
coordination, management and communication skills. Good reporting skills. Ready to
provide independent evaluation.
Candidates are requested to submit a covering letter quoting the Position Title and Vacancy
Announcement REF. 21/01/2016

along with their detailed Curriculum Vitae and Personal History Form and Finacial offers Email is the preferred means of receipt and the application should be sent to the UN-Habitat
Egypt programme , email: Vacancies.Egypt@unhabitat.org.
Deadline for applications: 4 February 2016