Duties and Responsibilities
The intern will report to the Technology, Innovation, Connectivity, and Infrastructure Division (TICID) of the Economic Commission for Africa (ECA) under the supervision of the Chief of Emerging and Frontier Technologies. Innovation and Digital Transformation Section (ETIDTS), which leads ECA’s work on technologies, innovation, and digital transformation. These encompass a) policy research and analysis; b) technical support to member states and their institutions; and c) consensus building and advocacy. The specific terms of reference for the intern include • Parliamentary Documents and Technical Research: Assist in supporting the technical team in the delivery of evidence-based research and the preparation of mandatory parliamentary documentation for the Conference of African Ministers of Finance, Planning and Economic Development (COM) and the Africa Regional Forum on Sustainable Development (ARFSD). This includes conducting advanced literature reviews and data synthesis to draft background reports, session key messages, and outcome documents. The intern will ensure that all technical inputs regarding emerging and frontier technologies are critically analyzed and integrated. • Substantive Convenings: Assist in contributing to the substantive preparation and reports development for high-level forums, including the Science, Technology, and Innovation (STI) Forum, the Africa WSIS Regional Review, and the African Internet Governance Forum (AfIGF). Responsibilities include preparing an annual Report on the follow-up of the WSIS+20 outcomes and organizing multi-stakeholder inputs for the STI Forum. Furthermore, the Intern will assist in developing technical presentations, ensuring that research findings are effectively integrated. • Situational Analysis: Assist in conducting comprehensive background research and evidence-based situational studies to support the Section’s initiatives and publications in Artificial Intelligence (AI), Data Governance, Cybersecurity, Fintech, Digital ID, Digital Public Infrastructure (DPI), and Digital Skills. The Intern will assist in producing rigorous country-level analyses that evaluate the readiness and regulatory landscapes of member states. This work involves synthesizing diverse data sets and academic literature to provide the technical team with the foundational evidence required for project design, technical materials, and the development of digital regulation frameworks. • Content Creation and Management: Assist with the creation of digital content, including infographics and social media posts, that promote the section's initiatives and results. Update and maintain the section's website content in collaboration with various departments to ensure accuracy and timeliness. Additionally, the Intern will assist in monitoring and updating the digital platforms developed by the section, such as the Africa AI Innovations Database, the ICT Tax Impact Calculator, etc.
Qualifications/special skills
Applicants must meet one of the following requirements: (a) be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher) (b) be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree program (minimum bachelor’s degree or equivalent). Applicants to the internship program are not required to have professional work experience. However a field of study that is closely related to the type of Internship that you are applying is required. Applicants must be a student in the final year of the first university degree (bachelor's or equivalent) in a master's or Ph.D. program or equivalent, or have completed a bachelor's, master's, or Ph.D. program. Do you meet any of the above criteria? If yes, please note that you will have to provide an official certificate at a later stage. Women and persons with disabilities are encouraged to apply. As per the UN Convention on the Rights of Persons with Disabilities, do you identify as a person with a disability? If yes, please specify if you need any reasonable accommodation to support your participation in the recruitment and selection process.
Languages
English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in spoken and written English is required for the internship. Knowledge of an additional official UN language is an advantage. Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian and Spanish are the official languages of the United Nations Secretariat
Additional Information
Not available.
Intern Specific text
Interns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations. Costs and arrangements for travel, visas, accommodation and living expenses are the responsibility of interns or their sponsoring institutions. Interns who are not citizens or permanent residents of the country where the internship is undertaken, may be required to obtain the appropriate visa and work/employment authorization. Successful candidates should discuss their specific visa requirements before accepting the internship offer.
No Fee
THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CHARGE A FEE AT ANY STAGE OF THE RECRUITMENT PROCESS (APPLICATION, INTERVIEW MEETING, PROCESSING, OR TRAINING). THE UNITED NATIONS DOES NOT CONCERN ITSELF WITH INFORMATION ON APPLICANTS’ BANK ACCOUNTS.
