Economic Affairs Intern

Duties and Responsibilities

The position is in the United Nations Conference for Trade and Development (UNCTAD). The Internship Programme is unpaid and full-time, i.e., an intern is expected to work five days per week (40 hours). The position is located in the Policy Analysis and Research Branch of the Division for Africa, Least Developed Countries and Special Programmes (ALDC). The internship will tentatively start on 3 March 2025 for an initial period of three months, with an opportunity for extension up to six months, pending on the needs of the department. RESPONSIBILITIES: Training and mentoring will be provided all along the internship. Carrying out his/her tasks under the supervision of the Chief of the Office of the Director and the Economic Affairs Officer, the intern will perform the following functions:

• Support the Division’s preparatory work in advance of the UNCTAD16 conference, with specific focus on the delivery of relevant Ministerial Conferences for LDCs, LLDCs and SIDS. Provide necessary technical backstopping and secretariat support to the organization of intergovernmental meetings, briefings and related work.
• Prepare necessary background documentation and research to support the servicing of relevant UNCTAD16 preparatory processes.
• Support the design and implementation of ALDC Communications campaigns including related to the Productive Capacities Index, Holistic Productive Capacities Development Programmes, the Division’s Flagship Reports (Least Developed Countries Report and Economic Development in Africa Report), UNCTAD 16, etc. o Aid in the drafting Op-Eds/Policy Briefs on Selected Topics of Relevance for ALDC o Support the preparation of relevant social media outputs and messages.
• Support the staff of the Office of the Director of the Division for Africa, Least Developed Countries and Special Programmes to deliver on the wide variety of mandates of the Division, including to support the UNCTAD inter-governmental machinery. This internship position is offered on an hybrid basis. To work remotely, the applicant shall have full access to a computer with a modern browser in which to run the latest version of Office 365 applications that will allow him/her to perform the tasks within the scope of the internship. The compute must have basic IT security best practices implemented. At a minimum, the applicant should have:
• Installed on his/her computer the latest version of the Microsoft Windows operating system, software and security updates as soon as they are issued.
• Enabled the built-in software firewall that comes with the operating software of the computer.
• Be able to use the password manager enabling the creation of strong passwords and to secure access to all UNCTAD/UN-related resources. More generally,

interns shall:

• Observe all applicable rules, regulations, instructions, procedures and directives of the Organization notwithstanding their status as described in section 4 of the UN Internship Programme Administrative Instructions ST/AI/2000/9 & ST/AI/2005/11.
• Provide the receiving departments/offices with a copy of all materials prepared by them during the internship. The UN shall be entitled to all property rights, including but not limited to patents, copyrights and trademarks, with regard to material which bears a direct relation to or is made in consequence of, the services provided under the internship. At the request of the UN, the interns shall assist in securing such property rights and transferring them to the UN in compliance with the requirements of the applicable law.
• Respect the impartiality and independence required of the UN and of the receiving department/office and shall not seek or accept instructions regarding the services performed under the internship agreement from any Government or from any authority external to the UN.
• Unless otherwise authorized by the appropriate official in the receiving department/office, they may not communicate at any time to the media or to any institution, person, Government or any other external source any information which has become known to them by reason of their association with the UN or the receiving department/office, that they know or ought to have known has not been made public. They may not use any such information without the written authorization of the appropriate official, and such information may never be used for personal gain. These obligations also apply after the end of the internship with the UN.
• Refrain from any conduct that would adversely reflect on the UN or on the receiving department/office and will not engage in any activity which is incompatible with the aims and objectives of the UN.

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); or, (b) Be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor’s level or equivalent). Moreover, interns should:

• Should be computer literate in standard software applications;
• Have a demonstrated keen interest in the work of the United Nations and have a personal commitment to the ideals of the Charter; and
• Have a demonstrated ability to successfully interact with individuals of different cultural backgrounds and beliefs, which includes willingness to understand and be tolerant of differing opinions and views. No working experience is required to apply for the United Nations Internship Programme.

Your training, education, advance course work or skills should benefit the United Nations during your internship. Applicants to the UN Internship Programme 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 for is required. Applicants must be a student in the final year of the first university degree (bachelor or equivalent), Master’s or Ph.D. Programme or equivalent, or have completed a Bachelor’s, Master’s or PH.D. Programme. Do you meet any of the above criteria? If yes, please indicate which one and attach proof to the application. Please note that you will have to provide an official certificate at a later stage.

Languages

• Fluency in spoken and written English is required for this internship. Knowledge of French is desirable.

Source: https://careers.un.org/jobSearchDescription/245313?language=en