Myanmar Government Relations Consultant (EU “Partners Against Wildlife Crime” Project) 

Terms of Reference

Background

Global Environment Institute (“GEI”) started working on the international illegal wildlife trade issues in 2017. In 2018, through a policy assessment study GEI identified a series of challenges in China’s implementation of the domestic “Ivory Trade Ban” effective starting in 2018. The assessment study result showed that China’s closure of the domestic ivory trade market may lead to growing ivory markets in neighboring countries, including Myanmar, where there are growing Chinese communities but weak wildlife trade enforcement practices and capabilities. Meanwhile, the “Belt and Road” initiative has been strengthening the development of transportation, logistics, and trade between China and Myanmar, which will likely make it easier for transnational illegal ivory trade. Therefore, it is urgent to promote coordination and cooperation between China and Myanmar in combating illegal wildlife trade, across policy, enforcement and awareness levels.

In 2019, under the EU Partnership Against Wildlife Crime project framework, GEI has started working to promote policy cooperation and enforcement coordination on combating illicit wildlife trade between China-Myanmar. With both governments of China and Myanmar expressed initial willingness to formalize cooperation with each other, it is expected that in the next 1-3 years GEI will facilitate bilateral policy dialogues as well as enforcement exchanges between China and Myanmar.

By the end of 2020, GEI plans to carry out the following activities:

• Complete a political economy analysis on China-Myanmar cooperation to combat illegal wildlife trade;
• Work with Nanjing Forest Police College (NFPC) to co-organize an international wildlife crime enforcement capacity building and exchange workshop, inviting frontline enforcement officers from other developing countries including Myanmar to participate;
• Facilitate bilateral policy dialogues between main forestry and wildlife government authorities in China and Myanmar on cooperation to combat wildlife crime, with potential signature of bilateral cooperation agreement.

Based on EU project needs, GEI is recruiting a Myanmar government relations project consultant.

Main Responsibilities:

• Facilitate the invitation of 5-10 frontline wildlife enforcement officers from Myanmar’s Forest Department, the Customs department, as well as frontline officers mainly based in Shan State and Kachin State to apply and eventually participate in the international wildlife crime enforcement capacity building and exchange workshop, and facilitate direct exchanges between Chinese and Burmese enforcement officers with the aim to promote future enforcement cooperation actions.
• Liaise with Myanmar’ Forestry Department as well as customs and forest police departments on bilateral and regional initiatives, and promote potential Myanmar-China CITES bilateral visits and potential signature of CITES Letter of Agreement.

Expected Outputs/Indicators and Time

Please send resume to Ms. Jingwei Zhang: jwzhang#geichina.org  (Please replace # with @).

Deadline to Apply: August 20, 2020