COMMON MARKET FOR EASTERN AND SOUTHERN

AFRICA

CALL FOR APPLICATIONS

A. MASE COORDINATOR (P4) READVERTISED
(Candidates who responded to the earlier advertisement should not apply)
I.

Introduction and Background

The ESA-IO region has increasingly been subject to security challenges linked to
piracy, maritime insecurity and organised crime. International Maritime Bureau
(IMB) reported in 2009 that the ESA-IO region had become the most pirateinfested waters in the world. Somali pirates have been attacking vessels in the
marine areas of Kenya, Tanzania, Seychelles, and Madagascar and further off
into the Indian Ocean. Piracy and lack of maritime security continue to increase
transport costs, trade costs and insurance. This ultimately affects the regional
integration process by undermining development efforts which negatively impact
on the inclusion of the region in the global economy. Furthermore piracy
increases the risks of terrorism and smuggling of weapons and drugs.
The increasing concern in the region from a political, social and economic
perspective, especially in the economically vulnerable small island states
prompted the region to attribute to all the Regional Organisations a specific
mandate for the fight against piracy. The 13th COMESA Summit held in June
2009 in Zimbabwe called upon the International Community to adopt a
coordinated approach in a holistic manner through the UN. Following this, a high
level regional Ministerial Meeting on Piracy was held on 7 October 2010 in
Mauritius and adopted the ESA-IO Regional Strategy and Action Plan against
Piracy and for Promoting Maritime Security. In line with the Action Plan, the
Common Market for Eastern and Southern Africa (COMESA), the East African
Community (EAC) and the Inter-Governmental Authority on Development (IGAD)
and the Indian Ocean Community (IOC) under the initiation of the IRCC, have
created a common Eastern and Southern Africa and Indian Ocean region (ESAIO) regional programme to support maritime security. The Programme was

developed in accordance with the provisions of the ESA-IO 10th EDF Regional
Strategy Paper/Regional Indicative Programme.
COMESA component in this regional programme is seeks to strengthen regional
capacity to disrupt the financial networks of pirate leaders and their financiers
while also addressing the structural vulnerability factors and minimize the
economic impact of piracy. COMESA will initially focus on ten ESA countries that
are signatories of the Djibouti Code of Conduct as its core countries1 but it shall
also give secondary attention to other neighbouring countries to prevent money
laundering shifting their activities especially the less regulated jurisdictions as
found in the FATF ICRG list of countries that have deficiencies with respect to
compliance with Financial Action Task Force (FATF) standards.
The programme is intended to enable the countries to identify how the proceeds
from ransom payments are laundered, identify vulnerabilities in current regional
Asset Forfeiture and Money Laundering regimes and develop the capacity to
address these vulnerabilities, including the development or strengthening of
Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs). The programme will ensure that capacity
building to FIUs is done in compliance to recommendations of the FATF.
Another important component of the programme will be to enhance the capacity
of the region in financial investigation. This component will be implemented
jointly with INTERPOL, which will initially focus on Djibouti, Ethiopia, Kenya,
Mauritius, Seychelles and Tanzania, through an implementation Agreement with
COMESA.
Information sharing and collaboration will be very crucial to the
success of analysis, investigation and prosecution of money laundering crimes.
The programme will address institutional setting and development; support
coordination and inter-agency linkages and address legal and legislative issues
including strengthening legal action against financial crimes. The implementation
will continuously draw from outputs of the 5th Working Group of the International
Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia (CGPCS); the Eastern and
Southern Africa Anti-Money Laundering Group (ESAAMLG) among others. The
Programme will also receive support from the COMESA Monetary Institute in
Nairobi.
The MASE programme falls within the Governance Peace and Security Unit
operating in the Office of the Secretary General and will include a dedicated
Programme Coordinator, a finance specialist and an administrative assistant.
COMESA would hereby like to recruit a Programme Coordinator to manage the
programme and a finance specialist to provide support for the financial aspects of
the programme, while at the same time ensuring coherence and providing
1

The target countries comprises Somalia frontline states and countries in the Eastern and Southern Africa and Indian
Ocean (ESA-IO) region that border the Indian Ocean including, Comoros, Djibouti, Eritrea, Ethiopia, Kenya,
Madagascar, Mauritius, Seychelles, Somalia, and Tanzania.

guidance on finance matters to other programmes under the Governance Peace

and Security.
TERMS OF REFERENCE
A.

JOB TITLE :

GRADE

MASE Coordinator

P4

Expected Results
The MASE Coordinator will ensure that COMESA has in place a fully functioning
programme to address piracy by building capacity of Member states to curb
money laundering. Specifically, the MASE Coordinator will ensure:
a. Financial analytical capacity in the region enhanced by setting up and
strengthening of national Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs) and other
analytical tools, and strengthening the financial institutions in the region to
analyse, detect and track financial flows linked to piracy, proceeds from
financial crimes and other illicit maritime transactions
b. Common, coordinated and inter agency framework on anti-money laundering
and piracy funding are developed in ESA-IO, including supporting linkages
with national Financial Intelligence Units (FIUs)
c. National money laundering laws and regulations are drafted or amended and
regional policy frameworks to counter piracy and to address economic impact
of piracy are adopted
d. Regional capacity to investigate and prosecute financial crimes at national
and international levels assessed and strengthened
Tasks of the MASE Coordinator
The specific tasks for the MASE Coordinator (MC) are listed below. The MC
shall:
i. Keep abreast of all incidents of piracy and terrorism in the COMESA
region including the ongoing programmes and initiatives to address piracy
and specifically money laundering
ii. Maintain a good understanding of the status and capacity of member
states and particularly the core countries with respect to their response to
piracy crimes; specifically:
The status and capacity of the Financial Intelligence Units
The AML/CFT laws that exist in Member states and status of
implementation

The status and capacity of the relevant Law enforcement agencies in

member states
Keep abreast of other regional and international initiatives that aim at
addressing money laundering including the Financial Action Task Force
(FATF) and FATF-Style Regional Bodies such as the Eastern and
Southern Africa Anti-money Laundering Group (ESSAMLG); and the five
Working Groups of the Contact Group on Piracy off the Coast of Somalia,
particularly the Working Group 5.
Work in close collaboration with INTERPOL in the implementation of its
component; also ensuring to receive its reports
Ensure to maintain the broader regional aspects of MASE by collaborating
with similar officers at the East African Community (EAC), the InterGovernmental Authority on Development (IGAD) and the Indian Ocean
Community (IOC) on the implementation of MASE
Collaborate with the African Union Peace and Security Department and
ensure linkages with the 2050 Africa Integrated Maritime (AIM) Strategy;
Develop programmes and activities, including capacity building
programmes that target FIUs in the region by among others:
Initiating courses and programmes that will continuously improve
knowledge and understanding AML, CFT and piracy funding;
Advising and providing inputs to the various programmes and
activities, required improvements of content and sourcing of resource
persons
Ensuring delivery of high quality regional capacity building seminars,
workshops, short-term training etc; and,
Prepare annual MASE Work plans in consultation with the Unit Head
Produce quarterly activity plans, quarterly aide memoirs and
implementation plans for decisions of Council/ Ministers of Foreign Affairs
that relate to Maritime Security
Manage the approved budget for MASE ensuring value for money;
Produce MASE quarterly, annual and other reports that may be required
for the Unit and for the EU; and ensure that financial reports are produced
in time
Keep abreast of the financial status of the programme and ensure that
requests for replenishment of funds, requests for reallocations are done in
time
Provide advice and technical assistance on the laws, procedures,
practices, and reforms thereof, related to financial intelligence, AML and
CFT, and Piracy funding.
Carry out research, sharing information and monitoring compliance with
international and regional regulatory framework relating to Financial
intelligence, AML and CFT, and Piracy funding
Study and analyse policy frameworks of FIUs in COMESA region with the
objective of recommending harmonization and improvements of such
frameworks.

iii.

iv.
v.

vi.
vii.

viii.
ix.
x.
xi.
xii.
xiii.
xiv.

xv. Develop concept papers, reports, presentations, briefs, legal and

economic opinions to inform decision making in COMESA Financial
Intelligence Units.
xvi. Any other assignments assigned to him/her to ensure the accomplishment
of the objectives of the Programme on Peace and Security.
Profile of the MASE Coordinator
a) Qualifications and skills
The candidate should possess a Masters degree from a recognized
university in a relevant field such as Economics, International Relations,
International Conflict Management, Diplomacy or Security studies, and at
least ten years of relevant working experience.
b) Professional Experience
The candidate should have professional experience in Economics, and
Security related fields and also demonstrate practical knowledge in legal
matters, International Relations and Diplomacy. The candidate should
also be well versed with developmental issues.
An Economic degree should be supported with demonstrated knowledge
on security matters where certification on AML, CFT criminology,
international relations, Diplomacy, ethics and anti-corruption and
economic crime, will be an added advantage.
A Security/International relations or Diplomacy degree should be
supported by demonstrated knowledge on economics where a first degree
in a business related area will be an added advantage.
The ideal candidate also be conversant with the security, political and
economic environment in COMESA member states and have a sound
appreciation of all COMESA Programmes.
The candidate should have very strong inter-personal skills, good writing
and analytical skills and be conversant with computer software.
(c)

Language

The candidate should be conversant with English, Arabic or French while

a working knowledge of one of the other languages will be an added
advantage.

V.

Duration and Location

The MASE Coordinators position is for a four-year term and will be based at the
COMESA Secretariat in Zambia. The position will also include travel to
COMESA member states.
VI.

Reporting

The candidate shall work under the supervision of the Head of Governance
Peace and Security.
ADDITIONAL INFORMATION ON THE POST
1.

Type of Contract: COMESA non-established professional staff

service contracts. Remuneration will be in accordance with COMESA
conditions of service for non-established professional staff.

2.

Remuneration: Remuneration will be calculated on the basis of

background and professional experience and will be determined
according to the level indicated against each post.

3.

Terms of appointment: The successful candidate will be contracted

for twenty four (24) months renewable up to 14th July 2018 depending
on satisfactory performance.

4.

Expected time for commencement of services: The successful

candidate are expected to commence work in February 2015

5.

Legal form for competitors: Only Nationals of countries (ACP and

EU) that are signatories to the Cotonou Agreement of 23rd June 2000
are encouraged to apply.

6.

Final date for receipt of applications: 19th January 2015

7.

Addresses: Applications may be submitted by e-mail or fax using a

prescribed
form
which
can
be
downloaded
from
http://www.comesa.int/vacancies
and
E-mail
to
:
recruitment@comesa.int or fax it:
The Secretary General
COMESA Centre
Ben Bella Road
P O Box 30051
10101 Lusaka
Zambia

8.

Fax: (260 1) 227318

E-mail: recruitment@comesa.int with copies to e-mail address:
abinda@comesa.int;
Applications should contain the applicants Curriculum Vitae, present
and permanent address, telephone and fax numbers and e-mail. The
C.V
format can be downloaded from the COMESA Website
http://www.comesa.int/vacancies