PROJECT: EU – Somalia Technical Assistance and Partnership Facility (TAPF )

The European Union – Somalia Technical Assistance and Partnership Facility (TAPF) is a three-year initiative designed to support the European Union Delegation (EUD) to Somalia’s engagement in, and cooperation with, the Federal Republic of Somalia, and to expedite progress towards achievement of the 2030 global Agenda for Sustainable Development. 
The project is being implemented through a service contract, signed between the EUD and DAI Global Belgium, and operates from DAIs offices in Mogadishu and Nairobi.
The project duration runs for an initial total term of 36 months, from 1st January 2024, through to 31st December 2026 with extension through mid-2028.

The TAPF has three main result areas:
I.    Strengthening the capacity of the Government of Somalia, at both Federal and State levels, and in particular the Federal Ministry of Planning, Investment and Economic Development (MoPIED), to deliver on its mandate, with respect to the National Transformation Plan (NTP), and the wider development agenda. 
II.    Strengthening identification, formulation, implementation and monitoring of European Union funded programmes in Somalia, covering renewable energy, the environment, climate change adaptation and natural resources management, amongst other issues. 
III.    Enhancing partnerships and facilitation of policy dialogue on key topics for EU-Somalia cooperation. 

for assignment: Formulation of a State Rural Development Policy for Southwest State (SWSS)

General Assignment Objectives
Southwest State, located in southern Somalia, is one of the Federal Member States (FMS) established under Somalia’s federal system of governance. It comprises the regions of Bakool, Bay and Lower Shabelle, with Baidoa as its administrative capital, and is further sub-divided into 18 districts. The state is bordered by Jubbaland to the west, Hirshabelle State to the east, and Banadir Region (greater Mogadishu) to the northeast. The state has an international border with Ethiopia to the north and a long coastline on the Indian Ocean in the south. The Shabelle River, which runs through the state from northeast to southwest, makes the state suitable for large-scale plantation agriculture, while its proximity to Mogadishu provides economic opportunities with respect to both crop production, especially horticulture and livestock (meat and dairy production) and trade (inclusive other forms of commerce).Despite these several advantages, Southwest State operates in a complex development context, characterised by post-conflict recovery challenges, fragile governance institutions and underdeveloped infrastructure, resulting in limited access to basic services for its population, further exacerbated by climate-related shocks. In addition, the region continues to experience insecurity due to the presence of the alShabaab (aS) terror group, which controls large areas of the rural hinterland, placing major towns such as Baidoa under an effective state of siege and economic “blockade”.

In this context, the Southwest State Ministry of Planning, Investment and Economic Development (MoPIED) has initiated formulation of a 5-year State Transformation Plan (STP), which will translate the recently approved National Transformation Plan (NTP) into actionable, localised priority activities particular to Southwest State, and addressing specific challenges in governance, economic recovery, social inclusion and the environment. The State Transformation Plan, 2025–2030, will provide a comprehensive roadmap for sustainable development, state-building, and the promotion and enhancement of resilience, in alignment with the Somali National Transformation Plan 2025-2029, Centennial Vision 2060 (CV2060) and the broader development agenda, ensuring inclusive economic growth, improved service delivery, environmental sustainability and the consolidation of peace, wherever feasible. Despite the ambitious vision outlined in the National Transformation Plan (NTP) and the Southwest State Transformation Plan (STP), a significant "strategic disconnect" currently exists between high-level planning and ground-level execution. For example, while federal plans emphasise economic transformation, the Southwest State Administration currently lacks the specific legislative tools and resources needed to implement activities in rural districts where 70% of the population live. This capacity deficit is compounded by a "policy void" where the shift from humanitarian relief to sustainable development (represented by the transition from NDP-9 to the NTP) potentially stalls. Without a dedicated and bespoke State Rural Development Policy, the government lacks a mechanism to crystalise and implement the vision set out in the STP and to set strategic priorities, leading to continued reliance on short-term emergency aid that addresses symptoms like displacement and hunger, rather than tackles root causes, such as land tenure insecurity and resource degradation.

The prevailing policy void has led to a widespread "fragmentation of assistance". Without strong regulation from the government, UN agencies, international donors, NGOs and INGOs operate independently on ad hoc project-based actions, often creating parallel systems that are unsustainable, in the long run, and that duplicate efforts. 
Worse still, unregulated competition for shrinking resources - such as arable land and water -increases inter-communal tensions, leading to social dislocation and conflict. 
By establishing a unified policy framework, the MoRDR will be able to assume its regulatory role, enhancing coordination, reducing waste and preventing conflict over resources.
In the context of the conditions described above, the Southwest State Ministry of Planning, Investment and economic Development (MoPIED) and the Ministry of Rural Development and Resilience (MoRDR) have requested EU TAPF assistance to overcome two main operational constraints: shortage of technical expertise and physical mobility / financial resources.

Thus, two non-key experts (NKEs) will be recruited to develop a comprehensive State Rural Development Policy that establishes the legal framework needed to unlock future resilience funding, reduce inter-communal conflict, through clear regulation, and reaffirm government ("bottom-up") legitimacy in rural areas, by conducting wide-ranging consultation workshops in the agro-ecologically distinct districts of Afgoye, Burhakaba and Wajid, thereby turning the policy document into a “social contract” that truly reflects the needs of pastoralists and farmers, significantly improving the chances of compliance and lasting success.

Specific Assignment Objectives

• Development and formulation of a Southwest State Rural Development Policy is foreseen as a 3-month exercise that will feature a participatory, evidence-based approach to policy development, including a series of four 2-day stakeholder consultations in selected districts.
  The overall objective of NKE deployment will be:
  • To formulate and operationalise a Southwest State Rural Development Policy, under the leadership of the Ministry of Rural Development and Resilience (MoRDR), establishing a unified regulatory framework that serves, not merely as a ministry coordinating tool, but as a roadmap guiding all Government MDAs , international donors, UN agencies, and civil society actors, in the alignment and execution of rural development initiatives.
    The specific objectives of the assignment will be:
  • To recruit and deploy specialist technical expertise via the identification and selection of two dedicated non-key experts (a “senior strategist” and a junior “policy assistant”) who will drive the policy drafting process (conducting deep-dive analyses and ensuring that the final policy text addresses the specific needs of Southwest State, while aligning with international standards and best practice).
  • To Integrate grassroots-based evidence and agro-ecological realities in the rural development policy agenda, by conducting participatory District Consultation Workshops in Afgoye, Burhakaba and Wajid, thereby transforming community needs into enforceable policy priorities.
  • To validate and disseminate the final policy document through a multi-stakeholder “State Summit”, producing a finalised, printed regulatory instrument that replaces the current fragmented response to rural development with a cohesive, state-led vision for rural transformation.
    The Senior Technical Advisor preparing and drafting the Southwest State Rural Development Policy (non-key expert) will work closely with the TAPF State Level Coordinator (SLC) and the Southwest State MoRDR senior management team (DG, departmental Directors, etc.) to collect and review both fact-based and anecdotal data, using it to formulate a comprehensive State Rural Development Policy that establishes the legal framework needed to unlock future resilience funding, reduces inter-communal conflict, through clear regulation, and reaffirms government legitimacy in rural areas. 
    Additionally, the NKE will collaborate with relevant Ministerial Working Groups (where they exist) to ensure that the Rural Development Policy aligns with other sector development policies. 
    
     

DAI is looking for: Junior Non-key Expert for the preparation and drafting of a Southwest State Rural Development Policy

Specifically, the Expert is expected to undertake and complete the following tasks:

• Mobilisation of Technical Assistance
  • Assist the STA to conduct a detailed desk review of existing policy documents, legal frameworks, programme evaluations, research papers and sector data (working with public institutions and / or other relevant stakeholders): three (3) days.
• District Consultations Workshops
  • Assist the STA to conduct stakeholder consultations, comprising four (4) two-day workshops in Afgoye, Baidoa, Burhakaba and Wajid, with each consultation involving up to 70 participants, including government officials and policymakers from state MDAs, community leaders and lay representatives, elders, women, youth, marginalised groups / IDPs, civil society, the business community, academic institutions, etc. The complete sequence of community and stakeholder consultations is scheduled to take twelve (12) working days (4 x 3 spread over a longer period, including non-working days).
• Policy Drafting and Harmonisation
  • Policy drafting / write-up. Following completion of the consultation and data collection phase, the MoRDR team (inclusive the JNKE) will prepare a first draft of the Southwest State Rural Development Policy, which will outline strategic objectives, policy priorities and implementation frameworks. Five (5) days.
  • Plan review. The first draft of the Rural Development Policy will be carefully reviewed by a “Policy Working Group” (resulting in a Policy 2nd Draft). Five (5) days.
• Validation and Adoption / Official Launch
  • Policy development will conclude with a 2-day “validation” workshop, in which the 2nd draft of the STP will be presented to a broad cross section of stakeholders. Preparation and conducting the validation workshop and incorporation of feedback: Five (5) days. 
    50 copies of the approved State Rural Development Policy will be printed and distributed among stakeholders (government officials from state MDAs and districts), community leaders, elders, civil society organisations, etc.
     

Requirements

• An under-graduate university degree in one of the following fields: Public Administration, International Development, Economics, Public Policy Development, Peace and Conflict Studies, Political Science, Social Science, or a related field. 
• 3 or more years of practical work experience in an advisory capacity with an international development organisation, private sector company, non-governmental organisation or government institution, including at least one (1) previous assignment in policy development or as a planner, preparing regional, organisational or company-level plans. 
• Previous work experience as a TA or CTA (technical assistant / chief technical advisor), embedded within a host government department, preferred: (inclusive mentoring and capacity development experience, and working experience on formulation of policies, strategies and operational plans, and / or project monitoring activities. 
• Previous experience of workshop organisation and facilitation, inclusive knowledge of and familiarity with focus group discussions and other interactive data collection methodologies, preparation of PowerPoint presentations and handouts, and moderating workshop plenaries. 
• Strong communication, negotiation and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent written and spoken / verbal communication skills in both English and Somali.
• Strong organisational and analytical skills.
• Extensive knowledge of the local (Somali) development context.
   

Location and travel: The main place of assignment shall be Southwest State, Somalia, based in the state capital Baidoa. 
Travel within the State will be required and will be subject to relevant project and EU rules and regulations, including security protocols and the outcome of contemporary security assessments.  

Duration: The role is expected to commence ASAP, and to be implemented as a single, continuous assignment, counting from the date of first deployment of the expert.  

Input: A maximum of 30 working days (extendable, subject to project need / requirements and resource availability), delivered over a period not exceeding three (3) calendar months.   

Deadline for submission of CVs : not later than 1st of February 2026

Please note that only short-listed candidates will be contacted.