Consultancy on Innovative Financing and Debt Sustainability Analysis

Client of United Nation careers

Background

Several countries are exploring innovative financing options to respond to various challenges, including the triple crisis of rising food prices, increasing fuel prices, and financing climate actions while debt service burdens are high. The COVID -19 pandemic, the war in Ukraine, global inflationary pressures, and the associated policy responses have exacerbated these challenges on a global scale. Countries around the world are working to limit their borrowing costs and catalyze private finance through innovative financing instruments, such as debt swaps, green bonds, sustainability-linked bonds (SLBs). While there are successful examples of issuance of such innovative instruments, authorities in most countries lack technical capacity to structure these instruments to convince investors to accommodate them. Member States require a better understanding of these instruments, so they are prepared to access them, which enhances fiscal space toward addressing the many challenges faced by the countries.

General Objective

The objective of this assignment is to assist in data analysis, econometric modelling, substantive research and drafting of related material that contribute to enhancing country preparedness to access and structure innovative financing instruments, and to addressing issues related to debt sustainability analysis and sovereign ratings. The incumbent will work within a team of economists.

Duties and Responsibilities

• Assess and analyze trends, developments, and credit ratings in the Arab region to inform reporting and policy analysis.
• Compiling and maintaining public debt and macroeconomic databases based on the national and international sources.
• Analyze the interlinkages between climate and environmental indicators, macroeconomic developments, and credit ratings, applying appropriate econometric models to generate analytical insights relevant to debt sustainability and financing strategies.
• Support analytical work on innovative financing instruments by mapping data for relevant Key Performance Indicators from national and innovative data sources (including non-traditional methods).
• Track, review, and synthetize information on innovative financing instruments in the Arab region to prepare analytical notes and substantive inputs.
• Prepare analytical, statistical, and knowledge products on public debt sustainability and innovative financing instruments, including the development of figures, presentations, background notes, and research materials.
• Contribute to preparing materials (presentations, background notes and research) related to training workshops on innovative financing instruments in project participating countries.
• Assist in organizing national workshops in project participating countries and preparing necessary material, including outcome and summary reports.