Puntland State Junior Non-key Expert (JNKE)

The European Union – Somalia Technical Assistance and Partnership Facility (TAPF) is a five-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 was initially scheduled to run for 36 months from 1st January 2024 until 31st December 2026, but this was subsequently extended to 31st December 2028.

Between 2010 and 2025 Puntland State developed and implemented three Puntland Five-year Development Plans: PFYDP-1, PFYDP-2 and PFYDP-3. Each five-year development plan was formulated to enhance the effectiveness of government operations, through the promotion of public sector capacity reform, improved civil service management, and implementation of cross-cutting administrative programmes. These five-year development plans were supported by the World Bank, UN agencies, EU and other development partners.

Recognising the need for a continuation of this planning framework, in mid-2025 the Puntland State Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation (MoPEDIC) embarked on development of a Fourth Puntland Five-Year Development Plan (PFYDP-4), 2026-2030, to guide Puntland government strategic programming for the next five years. 

Provision of support for preparation and formulation of the PFYDP-4 comprised a first intervention by the EU Technical Assistance and Partnership Facility (TAPF) in Puntland State.

Puntland’s economy depends heavily on trade, investment, and, ultimately, private sector growth. However, outdated and fragmented policies and legal frameworks have inhibited opportunities for sustainable development, limited investor confidence, and have reduced competitiveness. 

Against this background, in early 2026 (to enhance trade and investment and drive economic diversification and private sector development) EU TAPF was requested to spearhead the creation of robust and modern policies and laws to create a transparent, competitive and predictable business environment throughout Puntland State. Specifically, TAPF was requested to assist with the transformation of existing trade and business policies and legal frameworks, with respect to:

-    Company policy and law: particularly through introduction of modern corporate practices, digital transformation needs, shareholder rights, and / or governance mechanisms. 

-    Investment policy / law and PPP regulations: particularly by replacing current haphazard design, gaps (in framework structures) and inadequate alignment with global market dynamics. 

As indicated above: over the past decade, the Government of Puntland has prioritised institutional development and public sector reform to enhance governance, accountability and service delivery. A pivotal component of these reforms has been development of monitoring and evaluation (M&E) mechanisms to track development progress, assess government performance and inform policy making. 

In line with this overall effort, the Puntland MoPEDIC invested in development of a Monitoring and Evaluation Policy that defines the guiding principles, institutional roles and coordination mechanisms for implementing M&E practices across government institutions. This policy has served as a valuable framework to promote a results-oriented public administration.

Unfortunately, despite the presence of this essential policy framework, there remains a critical gap in legal enforcement and institutional compliance. I.e., the lack of a formal legal mandate for M&E has led to inconsistencies in implementation, characterised by weak institutional ownership, limited resource allocation and poor data reporting, as there is no statutory requirement, under the current legal system, for ministries or agencies to establish M&E units or to submit performance reports. As such, there is limited accountability for results or performance across public institutions.

To address this challenge, MoPEDIC has initiated development of a Monitoring and Evaluation Act (a legislative framework that will provide the legal foundation for enforcing M&E functions across Puntland’s public sector institutions, with the aim of institutionalising M&E as a core function of government planning and budgeting processes) and has requested EU TAPF to provide technical and financial support for preparation and development of that Act.

I.e., effective monitoring and evaluation (M&E) systems are critical for ensuring transparency, accountability, and the efficient use of resources in the public / development sector. In recognition of this, the Puntland Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation (MoPEDIC) seeks to develop a comprehensive Monitoring and Evaluation Act that institutionalises and strengthens the national M&E framework across all sectors.

To support this initiative, a qualified legal or monitoring and evaluation expert is required to lead the process of drafting the M&E Act; ensuring it is aligned with international best practice and that it is tailored to the Puntland context.

The purpose of the consultancy is to develop a comprehensive and enforceable M&E Act that supports effective governance, evidence-based policy making, transparency and accountability across all institutions of the Puntland Government, in line with the national M&E framework of the Federal Government of Somalia. 

The specific objectives of the initiative are to create a legal framework that formalises and standardises M&E practices across government institutions, in order to:

• Define institutional roles, responsibilities and obligations for M&E, at central and decentralised levels;
• Establish clear reporting lines, compliance requirements and enforcement mechanisms;
• Support resource allocation for M&E systems at sectoral and sub-national levels;
• Enable better tracking of state level development goals and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), in context of the national development plan

In consequence, the proposed M&E Act is expected to:

• Establish MoPEDIC as the central oversight body for M&E across all institutions of government in Puntland State; 
• Enable the creation of a National Evaluation Registry and Results Database;
• Mandate and compel the establishment of M&E units in all MDAs;
• Define minimum standards for data collection, reporting and evaluation;
• Sanction and require the generation of regular monitoring reports and performance audits;
• Impose penalties for non-compliance or data falsification;
• Support citizen participation and feedback mechanisms in public evaluations.

The assignment will adopt and utilise a highly participatory and consultative approach to document development, involving multiple stakeholders:

• Ministry of Planning, Economic Development and International Cooperation (MoPEDIC) as “Lead Agency”;
• Office of the President and Council of Ministers;
• Puntland Parliament (particularly the “Legislative Committee on Governance”);
• Line ministries and government agencies;
• Civil society organisations and the media;
• Academic and research institutions;
• Development partners and donors.

Activities to be undertaken by the expert(s) will include and comprise the following:

a)    Conducting a detailed review of:

i.    The existing / current Puntland M&E Policy;

ii.    Existing sectoral legislation and administrative laws;

iii.    Relevant international best practices and M&E Acts in force in neighbouring, peer countries.

b)    Facilitating consultations and technical dialogue with:

i.    Government ministries, Members of Parliament / Parliamentary Committees and local authorities;

ii.    Civil society and community-based organisations;

iii.    Donor representatives and non-state actor implementing partners.

c)    Drafting an M&E Act document, defining:

i.    Institutional arrangements (roles and mandates);

ii.    Reporting obligations and timelines;

iii.    Enforcement and compliance mechanisms;

iv.    Budgeting and resource requirements for M&E units;

v.    Citizen engagement and rights-based provisions.

d)    Conducting a legal review to align the draft Act with the Puntland Constitution and existing legislative protocols.

e)    Organising and facilitating a stakeholder validation workshop.

f)    Finalising the M&E Act, by incorporating feedback, and submitting the final draft to MoPEDIC, for onward transmission to Parliament / the Council of Ministers.

g)    Training of key stakeholders, including MDA Planning Department staff / M&E Officers.

The Junior Non-key Expert (JNKE) for Preparation and Development of a Monitoring and Evaluation Act for Puntland State should possess the following qualifications and experience:

• A university degree (preferably a master’s, but this is not a compulsory requirement) in one of the following fields: Law, Public Policy or Strategic Policy Development, Project Planning and Management, Public or Business Administration, Monitoring and Evaluation, Statistics, Social Sciences, Development Studies, or a related field. 
• Three (3) or more years of practical work experience in an advisory or management capacity, as a consultant with an international development organisation, private sector company, non-governmental organisation or government institution, such as a parastatal entity, university or college, including at least one (1) previous assignment as either a public laws, policy development or planning assistant, helping to prepare laws / legislative acts, policy documents and / or institutional plans. 
• Previous work experience as a TA (technical assistant), embedded within a host government department, leading development programmes, and / or drafting laws, policies or planning documents. 
• Previous experience (in at least two (2) work assignments) conducting comprehensive consultation and / or training workshops, inclusive in-depth knowledge and use of relevant information technology software and tuition tools. 
• Strong communication and interpersonal skills.
• Excellent written and spoken / verbal communication skills, in both English and Somali.
• Strong organisational and logistical skills.
• Extensive knowledge of the local (Somali) development context, particularly in Garowe / Puntland, and the current “development” situation, as defined in the 4th Puntland State Development Plan (PDP-4).
• Female professionals are strongly encouraged to apply.

Start date and duration: The role is expected to commence ASAP (subject to continued need and resource availability), and to be implemented as a single, continuous assignment, counting from the date of first deployment of the expert.  

Inputs: A maximum of 35 working days, delivered over an indicative period of no more than three (3) months (subject to operating conditions).