To make the most meaningful contribution to achieving the 2030 Agenda, the Cooperation Framework shall be based on the UN Common Country Analysis for Turkmenistan scheduled to be finalized by mid-October 2024, incorporate recommendations of the final evaluation of the 2021-2025 Cooperation Framework (also expected to be final by mid-October 2024) and the UNCT’s Management Response Plan, and respond to the national development needs. The Cooperation Framework shall articulate difficult strategic choices and commitments; management of uncertainties that may affect intended results and pose institutional risks to the United Nations and that are balanced against the risks of not delivering on the 2030 Agenda, and especially impacts on the most vulnerable groups. The Cooperation Framework design process will be extroverted involving the following stakeholders, including national partners (experts of line ministries and departments, parliamentarians, national human rights institutions, civil society and private sector representatives, think tanks, academia, youth, elderly), UN system organizations – both resident and non-resident, including UN Economic Commissions, international bilateral and multilateral development partners, as well as international financial institutions.

Duties and Responsibilities

The Consultant will be expected to prioritize the challenges and opportunities, including through the application of foresight identified in the CCA in an integrated, systems perspective, and translate them into a Cooperation Framework to be agreed with the government. The consultant shall guide the United Nations country team, national and other stakeholders to make choices on areas offering the greatest potential for transformative and inclusive development built upon the comparative advantage of the United Nations development system and to agree priorities that will be translated into the results framework. In doing so, due consideration will be paid to integrating transformative entry points – or key transitions – that can have catalytic and multiplier effects across the SDGs and impact for achieving the Goals, which include:

1. Food systems
2. Energy access and affordability
3. Digital connectivity
4. Education
5. Jobs and social protection
6. Climate change, biodiversity loss, and pollution

The interconnected transitions represent a useful organizing frame for investment pathways to accelerate SDG progress in Turkmenistan and to ensure a better convergence among the most impactful entry points to spearhead SDG acceleration. To ensure implementing 6 transitions benefit all, they need to be just and equitable transitions, with human rights, gender equality, and the principle of Leaving No One Behind comprising their fundamental design elements.

The Consultant will ensure the Cooperation Framework meets the following distinguishing marks of the new generation of Cooperation Frameworks:

1. A strong linkage to and grounding in the systemic problem analysis and evidence provided by the UN CCA.
2. A clear focus on 2030 Agenda and SDGs, acceleration entry points or six transitions, leaving no one behind, and the programming principles of the Cooperation Framework Guidance.
3. A development nature of UN support in the country through a strategic cooperation established as a result of the previously implemented cooperation frameworks and a clear focus for the next cycle, reflected in key priorities with limited outcomes and outputs.
4. The value proposition of the UN development system.
5. Clear articulation of concrete catalytic development solutions (outcomes), measured through outcome SDG indicators and achievable within the cooperation cycle.
6. Output statements which clearly and concretely articulate measurable UN collective contribution to outcomes with Output SDG indicators.
7. The Results Matrix indicators clearly linked to the national SDG indicator framework.
8. A clear and coherent Theory of Change (ToC) for the Cooperation Framework at all levels – vision, priorities, outcomes, and output levels. The ToC shall articulate desired development changes the United Nations can most strategically contribute to, either through direct action or as a catalyst; pathways of change, assumptions to achieve desired vision and outcomes, possible UN response to anticipated risks and developments that may reverse the progress towards the results of the Cooperation Framework and achievement of SDGs.
9. Addresses the systemic and structural issues (social, economic, environmental) that contribute to peaceful societies, sustainable growth underpinned by global and national commitments to SDGs.
10. Supports the country’s transformation towards cohesive, green, resilient, inclusive and equitable development.
11. Clearly a tool for leveraging sources of financing and investments for 2030 Agenda for the country.
12. Extroverted: Forging partnerships with a wide range of stakeholders (WBI, IFIs, CSOs, Trade Associations, private sector, etc.) with due consideration of due diligence principles.
13. Cognizant of cross boundary and regional issues, including migration and human mobility, that impact on the country.
14. A clear collective offer of UN to the country based on collective UN comparative advantage vs partners.

Duties and Responsibilities:

Under the guidance of the UN Resident Coordinator, and overall supervision of the Head of the RCO, the selected consultant will be responsible for preparation, implementation, and administration of the assignment, which includes but is not limited to:

• Development of a detailed systems-based methodology outlining consultant’s approach to work, criteria for prioritization, action plan, and timeline.
• Desk review and evaluation of all available analytical material and data in order to be able to define a preliminary prioritization for consultation and cross-checking with key stakeholders.
• Formulation of the UNSDCF 2026-2030 in line with the CF Guidance Outline (the revised-2024) and UNCT/Partners strategic inputs, including the first draft of the UNSDCF narrative and its final version that addresses UNCT comments.
• Facilitate UN Strategic Prioritization and Validation processes – in consultation with UN, all partners – to identify strategic priorities and related development results (outcomes/outputs) to invest collective efforts, capacities, and resources.
• Regular communication and coordination with the RC, UN RCO, UNCT, and Result Groups, including online discussions and facilitations on the as-needed basis.
• Provision of quality assurance of the process and inputs provided by the RC/UNCT, Result Groups, including identification of gaps and areas for improvement against the corporate guidelines.
• Integration of all comments (RC/UNCT, PSG, Result Groups; Government of Turkmenistan, other stakeholders).
• Submit the final UNSDCF document that is accepted and approved by the RC and JSC.
• Development of a presentation of the Cooperation Framework or other visualization products.

The Consultant will be expected to deliver the following:

1. Detailed methodology of the systems-based approach to work, prioritization criteria, action plan, and timelines.
2. Mapping of Common Country Analysis (CCA) findings, recommendations of the 2021-2025 UNSDCF evaluation, with national SDG commitments, SDG gaps and national development priorities arising from PSED and PPSED to inform national stakeholders during Cooperation Framework design workshop.
3. Preliminary evidenced prioritization for consultation and cross-checking with key stakeholders.
4. A Theory of Change (ToC) for the entire UNSDCF and Outcomes and its visual representation.
5. Draft Results Matrix with Outcomes, provisional Outputs, Performance Indicators with baselines and targets, Risks and Assumptions, and Implementing Partners through a workshop for the UN members of the Results Groups; Scenario planning and RBM could be part of the workshop.
6. An introductory configuration/roles/capacities workshop for the UN system vis-a-vie agreed change pathways.
7. PowerPoint Presentation on the results of the prioritization discussions to the joint CF Steering Committee.
8. A final Cooperation Framework for Turkmenistan plus legal annex that integrates key guiding principles (LNOB, human rights-based approach, gender equality and women empowerment, resilience, sustainability and accountability) and meets standard criteria.
9. Monitoring, Evaluation, and Learning (MEL) Plan for the Cooperation Framework – without budget.

The Cooperation Framework will be prepared using the Outline in Annex 9 of the Cooperation Framework Companion Package Consolidated Annexes (2020) (subject to revision if the new DCO guidelines on CCA/UNSDCF design are released):

• Joint Statement and Signature Page
• Executive Summary
• Chapter 1: Country Progress Towards the 2030 Agenda
• Chapter 2: UN Development system support to the 2030 Agenda
  • 2.1 Theory of Change
  • 2.2 Strategic Priorities for the UN development system
  • 2.3 Intended development results
  • 2.4 Cooperation Framework Outcomes and Partnerships
  • 2.5 Synergies between Cooperation Framework Outcomes
  • 2.6 Sustainability
  • 2.7 UN Comparative Advantages
• Chapter 3: Cooperation Framework Implementation Plan
  • 3.1 Implementation strategy and strategic partnerships
  • 3.2 Joint Work Plans
  • 3.3 Governance
  • 3.4 Others
• Chapter 4: Monitoring and Evaluation Plan
  • 4.1 Monitoring, evaluation, and learning plan
    • 4.1.1 Risks and opportunities
    • 4.1.2 Cooperation Framework review and reporting
  • 4.2 Evaluation Plan
• Annexes

Methodology

Led by the UN Resident Coordinator and with full engagement of the United Nations development system, the UNSDCF 2026-2030 design process shall involve a broad range of stakeholders from the national to local levels (communities, civil society organizations, including OPDs, the private sector, academia, parliament, international financial institutions, national human rights institutions, international non-governmental organizations, media, labor unions, and other relevant parties) and international partners from the UN system. The prioritization process will review development challenges and opportunities identified in the CCA from an integrated, systems perspective and identify critical priority issues to accelerate the 2030 Agenda through the prism of globally defined transformative transitions. The Consultant is expected to facilitate the formulation of development solutions that the United Nations, based on its comparative advantage and value proposition, can best support through direct action and through leveraging other stakeholders. A theory of change, equally owned by the UN system and national stakeholders, shall articulate a unified vision towards the desired SDG results, map the United Nations’ contribution in each area, and identify assumptions and roles of stakeholders in making development changes happen. All of this shall be informed by evaluations and lessons learned during the previous program cycle.

Qualifications/Special Skills

• Master’s Degree (or equivalent) in international development, public administration, social sciences, economics, or related field, or a closely related discipline is required.
• At least 10 years of relevant experience in visioning and strategic planning, including designing national sustainable development strategies and programmes through multi-stakeholder processes is required.
• Profound knowledge of the UN, the UNSDCF, the Global Agenda 2030 is required.
• Knowledge of the UN systems and processes are required.
• Prior experience with the use of SDG indicators in programme design is required.
• Previous experience of preparing UNSDCFs/UNDAFs and country programme documents for the UN is required.
• Ability to respond positively to critical feedback and differing points of view is required.
• Ability to handle a large volume of work under time constraints is required.
• Focus on client satisfaction desirable.
• Ability in compiling data and strong understanding of its quantitative and qualitative analysis within a logical framework is desirable.
• A demonstrated ability to clearly communicate development ideas and experiences is desirable.
• Experience in facilitating multi-stakeholder workshops and meetings is desirable.

Languages

• Fluency in English (written and oral) is required while knowledge of Russian is an advantage.