Short Term Consultant (STC)

Conflict Analysis for Guinea

Background

Search’s client is the largest global development institution focused on the private sector in developing countries. It has introduced “a fragility lens” to its advisory projects in the countries in which it operates, which incorporates “do no harm” principle and intends to introduce the “fragility lens” in interventions of investment projects. To advance the approach, the team engaged a senior STC to conduct a conflict analysis in Guinea with a specific focus on the client’s investment(s) in the country to understand the implications of operating in the existing fragile environment. Based on initial conceptual framework developed for this purpose, the team wishes to move to the next phase of the work in ground-truthing this concept, including the conduct of a field mission. The consultant will continue to closely work with the client’s team in finalizing the conflict analysis, assessing the project implications in working in a fragile environment, and developing recommendations for integrating fragility aspects in the client’s interventions for the select project in Guinea.

Objective of Work:

The goal of the conflict analysis and planning process are as follows:

• To test and assess the applicability of the initial conceptual framework for identifying and assessing the project’s surrounding environment of conflict and fragility to inform the adequacy of the project’s existing measures and proposed interventions with the surrounding communities and other key stakeholders directly and/or indirectly involved in the project;
• To provide a brief and accurate conflict systems maps and sources of socio-political risks in collaboration with a local conflict specialist to understand the existing operating environment as it relates to the select project in Guinea;
• While integrating existing engagements on conflict mitigation in the region, recommend interventions and actions that can be integrated in the select project’s existing procedures in systematically identifying the sources/drivers of potential conflict in communities and better managing external influences from the surrounding environment;
• To provide the foundation for the establishment of ongoing conflict sensitivity analysis and conflict risks mitigation interventions at the project level in relation to the client’s investments.

Scope of Work:

The consultant will carry out key activities as below.

1. Conduct project document review and field visit to test and refine preliminary analysis and conceptual framework, and to test applicability of proposed conflict risk management measures at the project level.

The purposes of project document review and field visit include, but not limited to:

• Testing and refining the conflict analysis conceptual framework

• Identify key ESG (environmental, social and governance) issues and sources of conflicts related to corporations/ investors operating in Guinea’s mining sector.
• Conducting of stakeholder mapping from the conflict lens
• Ground truthing and refining of systems / conflict map in relation to the project
• Ground truthing socio-political dynamics in relation to the project
• Testing and assessing existing and anticipated mitigation and conflict management measures from the project (if those exist)
• Preliminary (headline level) conflict risk mitigation planning and testing
• Identifying existing conflict resolutions practices/measures implemented in the country and share learnt lessons
• Assessing regulations and policies in relation to conflict management

Activities

• Conduct field research involving interviews with client’s clients, government, civil society, community, donor programs, local platforms and other private sector actors, as relevant.
• Review related project documentation (including the client’s INFRA AS activities in Guinea, Boke regional development plan and existing conflict analysis by the client and others)

1. Develop a set of recommendations and interventions at the project level based on the initial analysis and the field visit and produce a final report.

The final report will include following elements:

• Brief background and assessment of the Boké region’s social, cultural and political environment in relation to the mining sector in the last 5 years, as well as identifying key ESG (environmental, social and governance) issues and sources of conflicts related to corporations/ investors operating in Guinea’s mining sector.
• Identify the key sources and drivers of conflict in the Boké area and its implications at the project level, including describing key conflict situations and conflict related data (i.e. # of protests; # of participants in protests; # of injuries or deaths, # of days of mining operations disruptions if possible; labor disputes, etc. as relevant).
• Identify the key outstanding socio-political issues and/or expectations from the communities in relation to the mining sector and assess the implications of broader issues affecting the project and in what form.
• Provide a stakeholder mapping in relation to sources/drivers of conflict and analyze their roles in principle and in practice in relation to the project.
• Analysis of potential conflicts along the project site (both port, transportation route, and mining sites), identifying the relevant source/driver of conflict and relevant stakeholders.
• Use the project de-risking framework to assess the incremental E&S risks and impacts as well as the mitigation/management approach to assess how the project fairs against the various influences at the regional and national levels as well as understanding how the national and regional environment affect the project’s actions/operations.
• A set of recommendations and proposed interventions for managing potential conflicts and mapping of key actors who should be involved in the process.
• Recommendations for the client, and broad key stakeholders in implementing the recommendations.
• Additional recommendations for institutional and policy reforms needed to address sources of conflict.

• Elaborate an action plan that will be validated through a workshop with relevant stakeholders, to implement recommendations. The plan will include actions to be implemented by the client, its business partners but also stakeholders such as Government, other Mining companies and local community
• Develop an effective measurement and evaluation framework to ensure sustainability of implemented measures

Expected Outputs

• Conflict Analysis report with a specific focus on the select project in Guinea, including notes from field research (including list of interviewees and key notes from the interviews.)
• Revised or updated conceptual framework, if relevant.
• A set of recommendations and proposed interventions for the select project
• The action plan to implement recommendations
• Validation workshop to present findings and take inventory of comments and suggestions
• An effective measurement and evaluation framework to ensure sustainability of reforms

Selection Criteria/Skills and Qualifications

• Master’s Degree or PhD in relevant discipline (e.g., business, economics, finance, or international relations)
• More than 8 years of experience of working on applied economic research and conflict management and conflict analysis
• Demonstrated experience and knowledge in academic research on private sector development in FCS.
• Familiarity with the Business for Peace, UN Global Compact agenda.
• Experience working in Guinea with communities and broad stakeholder groups.

Contract Terms

30 days in May and June 2019

Application deadline

Deadline for submission of offers is Thursday 16 May, at 18h00 GMT (Conakry time).