Country Readiness Assessment Report Consultant

Job Description

The consultancy is expected to deliver: • A comprehensive Country Readiness Assessment Report assessing Uganda’s environmental legal, policy and institutional readiness for responsible investment in critical energy transition minerals. • An assessment of Uganda’s compliance with the United Nations Secretary-General’s Principles on Critical Energy Transition Minerals, including identification of strengths, gaps and priority actions. • Recommendations for strengthening environmental governance, responsible mining practices and green investment readiness. • Validated stakeholder consultation outcomes. • Recommendations for enhancing UNEP’s CETM Policy Package based on Uganda’s experience.

Under the supervision of the Programme Management Officer (Industry and Economy Division) and the Legal Officer (Law Division), the consultant will undertake the following assignments:

Responsibilities

• Conduct a comprehensive assessment of Uganda’s policy, legislative, institutional frameworks relating to CETM and prepare a Country Readiness Assessment Report.
• Assess the extent to which Uganda’s legal, policy and institutional frameworks align with the United Nations Secretary-General’s Principles on CETM, particularly regarding:
  • environmental stewardship;
  • protection of biodiversity and ecosystems;
  • climate change mitigation and adaptation;
  • sustainable land and water management;
  • pollution prevention and waste management;
  • mine closure and rehabilitation;
  • transparency and accountability;
  • human rights and community participation;
  • equitable benefit-sharing;
  • responsible investment and governance.
• Assess the adequacy and effectiveness of environmental legislation, mining legislation, environmental impact assessment systems, strategic environmental assessment, environmental compliance and enforcement mechanisms, licensing procedures, monitoring systems and institutional coordination.
• Identify legal, institutional and policy gaps that may limit Uganda’s ability to attract environmentally responsible investment while meeting international good practice.

The assessment shall incorporate: • findings from field missions and stakeholder interviews; • literature review and analysis; • review of existing policies, legislation and institutional arrangements; • additional desk research.

Key Duties

• Develop actionable recommendations for strengthening Uganda’s policy, legislative and institutional frameworks to support environmentally responsible development of critical energy transition minerals.
• Recommendations should include measures to:
  • strengthen environmental governance throughout the mining lifecycle;
  • improve environmental safeguards and compliance systems;
  • promote sustainable green mining practices consistent with international standards;
  • enhance environmental monitoring, mine rehabilitation and mine closure requirements;
  • strengthen biodiversity conservation, pollution control and water resource management;
  • improve institutional coordination and enforcement;
  • promote responsible investment consistent with the UN Secretary-General’s CETM Principles;
  • support climate-smart, resource-efficient and circular approaches to mineral development.

How to Apply

Facilitate stakeholder consultations and validation workshops involving relevant government institutions, environmental authorities, mining and environmental regulators, private sector representatives, civil society organizations, local communities, academia and development partners.

The consultations shall: • validate findings from the readiness assessment; • identify barriers to environmentally responsible investment; • assess Uganda’s alignment with the UN Secretary-General’s CETM Principles; • identify priority reforms required to advance responsible and green mining; • validate recommendations for strengthening environmental governance and investment readiness.

The consultant shall prepare presentations, provide technical inputs to workshop agendas, review stakeholder lists, contribute to workshop reports and incorporate stakeholder feedback into the final reports.

About the Role

Prepare a report containing recommendations for strengthening the UNEP CETM Policy Package based on lessons learned from Uganda’s country readiness assessment, including recommendations for improving environmental governance indicators, legal assessment methodologies and responsible mining guidance for broader application across Africa.

Working Arrangements

Work closely with UNEP, UNECA and national stakeholders throughout the assignment, providing regular progress updates and undertaking any additional tasks required under the project.