Independent Contractor - Analyzing Gaps and Options for Enhancing Elephant Conservation in Central Africa

Position:            Independent Contractor

Organization:   United Nations Environment Programme

                           Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS)

Duration:           Mid June until mid September, 2011

SUMMARY STATEMENT OF REQUIREMENT

The contractor is to survey existing initiatives and conservation activities for elephants (Loxodonta africana) inCentral Africa in order to: (1) analyze how these instruments and projects address threats to elephants in this region and; (2) undertake a gap analysis identifying threats that are not being addressed. The analysis should result in an options paper identifying ways to progress elephant conservation inCentral Africa, as well as specifying information needed to assess these options when developing a new instrument for the conservation of Central African elephants under the aegis of the Convention on the Conservation of Migratory Species of Wild Animals (CMS).

BACKGROUND

in 1999, the Sixth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties toCMS(COP6) through Recommendation 6.5 stated thatAfricanElephantRangeStatesin Western andCentral Africaenvisaged developing one or more Agreements, including action plans to improve the conservation status of elephants in these regions. A Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) concerning conservation measures for the West African populations of the African elephant was concluded in 2005. No measures have yet been undertaken for elephant populations inCentral Africa.

Therefore, COP9 requested the Secretariat, through Recommendation 9.5 to “include in its programme of work the development of an appropriate instrument on the conservation of elephants in Central Africa, and to engage in relevant consultations with range states.” Taking into account this Recommendation – as well as the proposal of the Scientific Council in support of Loxodonta africana through Cooperative Action –  Resolution 9.2 paragraph 5 E(j) confirms that preparatory work on the development or extension of an appropriate instrument on the conservation of elephants in Central Africa should be undertaken in accordance with Recommendation 9.5.

AIMSANDOBJECTIVES

Given the number of existing instruments and projects to conserve African elephants, a survey of these initiatives is needed prior to developing, or considering development of, a CMS instrument. Therefore, the main objectives of the survey, gap analysis and the options paper are to address the following questions:

CURRENT SITUATION

1a.             What current agreements, initiatives, and instruments (national-level/regional/international; formal/informal; government/non-governmental) exist for the conservation of elephants and their habitat inCentral Africa?

1b. How do these agreements, initiatives, and instruments address threats to elephants and their habitat inCentral Africa?

1c. How well are these agreements, initiatives, and instruments working?

GAPS

2a. What conservation threats to elephants are not being addressed by current agreements, initiatives, and instruments inCentral Africa?

2b. Why haven’t these threats been addressed through the current agreements, initiatives, and instruments?

OPTIONS

3a. How might an additional agreement within the CMS framework address the identified gaps and contribute effectively to elephant conservation inCentral Africa?

3b. What would be the advantages and disadvantages of a new instrument for Central African elephant populations next to the one for Western African elephants?

3c. Would an agreement designed specifically for this region be more effective than one overarching agreement for the Western and Central African elephant populations?

3d. What would be the anticipated operational costs of such an agreement?

3e. Are there any alternate international or regional collaborative arrangements that might be more effective than a multilateral agreement?

The evaluation will review the existing instruments and initiatives for elephant conservation inCentral Africaand identify strengths, synergies, gaps or overlaps. It should examine progress in the  implementation of instruments such as the existing Sub-regional Action Plan for the Conservation of Elephants in Central Africa and consider how a CMS instrument could contribute to the implementation of such activities. 

Based on this gap analysis, options for effectively addressing these gaps should be developed. The results are expected to identify potential solutions, including strengthening of existing instruments, enhancing cooperation and synergy between these initiatives as well as guidelines for the potential development of an additional instrument for elephants under CMS.

Specifically, the analysis should focus on the potential added value of a new instrument and identify possible financial/institutional arrangement that would ensure its long term sustainability. Contiguity with the existing MOU on West African Elephants and overlap with the Gorilla Agreement need to be taken into account as well as the following issues:

-          The viability of an additional instrument for elephants, including the identification of a potential host country or institution for the secretariat of such an agreement, the commitment and capacities of the range states and the interest of potential donors necessary to support effective implementation of the instrument;

-          The suitability of the current institutional and organisational setting established under the different initiatives and how a new instrument under CMS would fit into this setting.

METHODS

The review will be based on the following:

-          Comprehensive review of the  relevant literature on the status of, and conservation action on, Loxodonta africana, including official documents and outputs of activities, scientific papers, reports and relevant websites;

-          Comprehensive review of the current landscape of agreements, initiatives and instruments related to the conservation of elephants and their habitat inCentral Africa;

-          Written inquiries, interviews and/or  discussions with all the range states;

-          Written inquiries, interviews and/or  discussions with key stakeholders known to be involved in elephant conservation in the region, such as the IUCN/SSC African Elephant Specialist Group (AfESG), CITES and its MIKE (Monitoring the Illegal Killing of Elephants) programme, Bushmeat Working Group, the CBD Liaison Group on Bushmeat, COMIFAC,  the Congo Basin Forest Partnership (CBFP), the Lusaka Agreement Task Force, WWF, IFAW, WCS, etc.

OUTPUT

The contractor shall provide a final report fulfilling the objectives (1-3) identified above. The report should include: an explanation of the purpose of the review; issues and documents evaluated; and the methodology used. The report should also: underline any methodological limitations; identify major concerns; and present evidence-based findings, consequent conclusions and recommendations.

The report will have an indicative length of 20-40 pages, excluding annexes. It will be written in English with numbered paragraphs and can include charts and tables.

PROGRAMME OFWORK

The assignment is expected to have a duration of 3 months, covering the period mid June – mid September 2011. It will be undertaken according to the following schedule:

 ORGANISATIONAL SETTINGS

The Contract will be managed in accordance with the UNEP “Standard Terms and Conditions for Research and Development Contracts”.

The incumbent will work in close collaboration with theCMSSecretariat.

TheCMSAgreement Development & Servicing Officer  will act as the principal point of contact for the contractor to provide all information that has been identified as necessary or useful basis for the assessment.

The CMSSecretariat is looking forward to receiving offers, including fee, from interested candidates by 27 May  2011. Please send your offer, together with a detailed Curriculum Vitae to: Jeanybeth Mina jmina@cms.int

For any clarifications concerning these Terms of Reference, you can contact Melanie Virtue, Acting Agreement Development and Servicing Officer;  email: mvirtue@cms.int;

Tel.: (+49 228)815 2462