INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANCY – AQUATIC BIODIVERSITY SPECIALIST

AFRICAN UNION – INTERAFRICAN BUREAU FOR ANIMAL RESOURCES TENDER DECEMBER 2025 

INDIVIDUAL CONSULTANCY – AQUATIC BIODIVERSITY SPECIALIST

Closing date: 18 Dec 2025

The African Union Inter-African Bureau for Animal Resources (AU-IBAR), a specialized technical office of the Department of Agriculture, Rural Development, Blue Economy and Sustainable Environment (DARBE) of the African Union Commission (AUC), is mandated to support and coordinate the utilization of livestock, fisheries, aquaculture and wildlife as resources for both human wellbeing and economic development in the Member States of the African Union. The Vision of the AU-IBAR Strategic Plan 2024-2028 is an Africa in which animal resources contribute significantly to integration, prosperity and peace. AU-IBAR’s intervention in the fisheries and aquaculture sector is guided by the Policy Framework and Reform Strategy for fisheries and aquaculture in Africa (PFRS) which is aimed at improving governance of the sector for increased sustainable contribution to food security, livelihoods and wealth creation. Also within the framework of the African Union 2063, the Africa Blue Economy Strategy environed an inclusive and sustainable blue economy that significantly contributes to Africa’s transformation and growth.

The Africa Blue Economy Strategy is endorsed at the highest political level of the continent. The Strategy incorporates key critical vectors for promoting blue economy development of the continent, including fisheries, aquaculture and ecosystem conservation; shipping, maritime safety and trade; climate change, environmental sustainability and ecotourism; sustainable energy and extractive mineral resources; governance, institutions and job creation.

AU-IBAR, with support from the Swedish International Development Cooperation Agency (SIDA), is implementing a project on “Conserving Aquatic Biodiversity in African Blue Economy”. The overall objective of the project is to enhance the policy environment, regulatory frameworks and institutional capacities of AU member states and regional economic communities to sustainably utilize and conserve aquatic biodiversity and ecosystems. The specific objectives of the project are as follows:

• Ratify and/or align relevant international/regional instruments related to blue economy themes (with specific reference to protecting and conserving biodiversity)
• Optimizing conservation and sustainable use of biodiversity while minimizing conflicts among blue economy sub-themes
• Strengthening measures for mitigating the negative impacts of coastal and marine tourism, oil, gas, deep sea mining and climate change on aquatic biodiversity and environment
• Strengthening gender inclusivity in aquatic biodiversity conservation and environmental management

The initial phase of the project was from 2021 to 2025. In the course of the four-year implementation, the Project made some notable achievements, that include, among others, as relevant to this consultancy:

• Fostering institutional collaboration to strengthen regional monitoring, control and surveillance systems to combat, deter and eliminate Illegal, Unreported and Unregulated Fishing (IUU fishing) and to protect aquatic biodiversity and ecosystems;
• Contributed to advancing transboundary Marine Spatial Planning (MSP) processes in selected regions of the continent;
• Fostered partnerships to enhance institutional capacities for effective governance of regional and national marine protected areas (MPA).

SIDA has granted extension to the project implementation that will provide opportunity for expanding the scope of project’s interventions and for consolidations of gains already made.

In the above regard, AU-IBAR seeks the services of an Aquatic Biodiversity Specialist, for a short-term consultancy’ to support the implementation of activities relating mainly to sustainable exploitation and conservation of aquatic biodiversity in African blue economy.

Description

Under the direct supervision of the Project Team leader at AU-IBAR the incumbent will undertake the following targeted areas of work so as to achieve the objectives of the Project ‘Conserving Aquatic Biodiversity in African Blue Economy’:

1. Contribute to development of mechanisms, frameworks, guidelines, strategies on conservation of aquatic biodiversity
2. Strengthen capacity for sustainable exploitation, utilization and conservation of aquatic biodiversity in Africa blue economy sectors
3. Support capacity on and implementation of tools and measures, including marine protected areas, for effective restoration of degraded aquatic habitats and depleted aquatic biodiversity
4. Promote mechanisms and strengthen capacity for regional cooperation on monitoring, control and surveillance systems (MCS) for the sustainable exploitation, utilization and protection of aquatic biodiversity in Africa blue economy
5. Support to enhance mitigation measures and climate action to minimize climate impact on aquatic biodiversity and ecosystems
6. Support to enhancing awareness on control and mitigation of the impacts of plastic pollution in Africa
7. Support capacity development of AU member states and regional institutions on implementation of continental instruments related to aquatic biodiversity and ecosystems conservation
8. Identification and development of new initiatives or projects for sustainable blue economy development
9. Any other duty as may be assigned by the Project Team Leader

Specific Experience

1. a)Record of familiarization of challenges, opportunities and status of national and regional capabilities for effective protection of aquatic biodiversity and ecosystems
2. b)Evidence of experience in capacity building and institutional strengthening for effective Monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS systems for combating IUU fishing, aquatic biodiversity conservation and environmental protection;
3. c)Evidence of supporting AU member states to strengthen regulatory frameworks for control and mitigating the impact of negative externalities (including coastal tourism, mining, oil and gas) against aquatic biodiversity and environment
4. d)Evidence of in-depth understanding and promoting implementing of essential tools for sustainable conservation of aquatic biodiversity and ecosystems at national levels and in transboundary context,
5. e)Record of experience in formulation of governance frameworks, guidelines, knowledge products and strategies related to aquatic biodiversity and environmental conservation
6. f)Evidence of working experience in similar or related position for at least 3

Deliverables

• Strengthening capacity on monitoring, control and surveillance (MCS) systems in shared ecosystems for exploitation, utilization and protection of aquatic biodiversity facilitated
• Capacity enhanced for establishment and Governance for Marine Protected Areas (MPA) and other essential tools
• Climate change mitigations measures and promote climate actions, pollution control (chemical and plastic), in identified communities for restoration of aquatic biodiversity and ecosystems supported
• Formulation of strategies, frameworks or guidelines for aquatic biodiversity conservation facilitated
• Effective African position and adherence to global processes and best practices related to aquatic biodiversity and ecosystems conservation supported
• Support to identification and development of new initiatives in aquatic biodiversity conservation and ecosystems management
• Formulation of knowledge products related to aquatic biodiversity conservation and ecosystems management supported
• Other duties performed (assigned by supervisor)

How to apply

Application Procedures

Submission of Applications

Applications should be submitted through email to: procurement@au-ibar.org  with a copy to emmah.boro@au-ibar.org  and should include the title “Aquatic Biodiversity Specialist” in the subject of the email.

Applications should include the following:

• Detailed curriculum vitae (CV) and brief cover letter.
• Copies of academic and professional certification documents.
• Declaration on exclusion criteria (see format attached).
• Identification documents.
• A Personal Data Protection and Privacy Statement is attached as information for the applicants.

Application Deadline

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