AFRICAN UNION UNION AFRICAINE

UMOJA WA AFRIKA

UNIÃO AFRICANA
UNIÓN AFRICANA

EXPRESSION OF INTEREST consultancy FOR TWO EXPERT INDIVIDUAL
CONSULTANTS - TO DRAFT THE AFRICAN UNION PLAN OF ACTION ON
DRUG CONTROL AND CRIME PREVENTION (2026-2030) AND ITS
IMPLEMENTATION FRAMEWORK

APP REF: AUC/HHS/CS
TERMS OF REFERENCE

1. Background

The African Union (AU) leads drug policy development across Member States through periodic, time-bound continental action plans aligned with global conventions and regional priorities. The current AU Plan of Action on Drug Control and Crime Prevention (2019–2025) is the fifth framework since 1996. Africa now plays a central role in the global illicit drug economy, with rising production, trafficking, and consumption of synthetic drugs. Post-COVID, these trends have intensified, driven by unemployment, firearms proliferation, cybercrime, money laundering, and corruption. Over the past five years, the AU Commission has convened annual consultations to build Member States’ capacity in drug epidemiology and supply-demand reduction. A 2025 evaluation of the AUPA revealed persistent gaps in addressing synthetic drugs and cybercrime and called for integrating job creation and social enterprise into drug control strategies. Africa’s youth bulge presents both promise and risk. Realizing the continent’s demographic dividend is essential to achieving Agenda 2063. Empowering young people can reduce vulnerabilities to unemployment, substance abuse, trafficking, radicalization, and forced migration which are key threats to peace and development. The evaluation also highlighted growing links between drug trafficking, transnational organized crime, and regional insecurity, especially in West and Central Africa. These priorities align with Social Agenda 2063 and the broader goals of African Union Agenda 2063.

2. Objective of the Assignment

The African Union seeks to recruit two consultants to lead the development of the next continental drug action plan for the period 2026-2030. The new plan will take into consideration the Commission’s evaluation of the status of mplementation of different pillars of the current action plan by Member States, gaps identified, current drug trends and the requisite involvement of allied social development sectors to advance achievement of AU Agenda 2063 aspirations.

3. Scope of the Assignment

The two consultants will provide an overview of drug trends and policies on the continent with its impacts, latest developments world-wide about drug trends and policy and distill contemporary key objectives and interventions, including those with social policy dimensions and content. The two consultants will develop an inception report that will highlight relevant UN, AU and Regional Economic Communities’ (RECs) Reports and policy documents as well as the desk study outputs on key interventions in other parts of the world, informing key intervention areas for the AUPA (2026-2030) relevant to the continent. After approval of the inception report, the consultants will meet with the AU staff in drug control and other relevant AUC Departments, upon which the draft AUPA (2026-2030) and its implementation framework will be developed. Further to the additional input from the AU Department of Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development (DHHASD), the final AUPA (2026- 2030) will be submitted.
4. Deliverables/ Reports and Schedule of Deliveries

The consultants will be required to work jointly on, and concur with each other in fleshing out the following key deliverables:
i. Summary of the relevant UN, AU and RECs reports and policy documents and commitments - 1 week
ii. Summary of the desk study of key interventions in drug control in other parts of the world - 1 week
iii. Summary of proposed pillars and objectives of the draft AUPA (2026- 2030) and finalise the inception report - 1 week.
iv. Summary of engagements with AU staff in drug control and other AUC departments- 2 weeks
v. Develop the draft AUPA (2026-2030) with its implementation framework, including proposed activities/outputs, timelines, indicators, responsible entities and data sources for monitoring of implementation - 3 weeks.
vi. Summary of feedback from the Department of Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development, African Union Commission for incorporation into the final AUPA (2026-2030) and its implementation framework - 1 week In this regard, the Consultants are required to submit the following reports to the AUC:
a. Inception Report to be submitted three weeks after award of the
assignment contract
b. Develop Initial Draft of the African Union Plan of Action on Drug Control and Crime Prevention (2026-2030)
c. Submission of the Final Draft of the African Union Plan of Action on Drug Control and Crime Prevention (2026-2030)

5. Duration of the Assignment

The assignment shall commence in December 2025 and will be finalized before the end of March 2026.
6. Consultancy Fee
The total fee for this Consultancy is a lump sum of US Dollars Twenty Thousand
($20,000) for the two consultants (i.e. $10,000 to each Consultant). Payments will be
paid in equal installments to the two consultants. The Consultancy fees exclude their
travel and accommodation expenses while engaging with the AU Commission in
Addis Ababa, Ethiopia. The installments will be paid based on the following

deliverables as specified in the ToR and upon certification of satisfactory work as per
the work plan and endorsed by the African Union Commission (AUC).
The payment schedule for each consultant is arranged as follows:
1. 20% on the submission and approval of the Inception Report.
2. 40% on the submission of the Draft AUPA (2026-2030).
3. 40% on submission of the final AUPA (2026 – 2030).

7. Travel and Subsistence

The Consultants’ travel and subsistence allowances while engaging with the African Union Commission and Member States as agreed at the start of the assignment will be borne by the African Union Commission

8. Governance and Support by the African Union

The consultants will work under the direct supervision of the Director for Social Development, Culture and Sports, and the Head of Social Welfare, Drug Control and Crime Prevention Division, African Union Commission.

9. Qualification and Experience

The consultants are expected to fit the following profile:
a) A Master’s degree in Social Sciences, Health or related discipline and ten (10) years’ experience in drug policy formulation at national, regional and international levels.
b) Experience in working with the African Union Commission.
c) Previous experience with Government, NGO, regional, or international organisations.
d) Relevant work experience in a comparable international organisation in the areas below:
1. Drug epidemiology
2. Drug policy development and implementation
3. Social policy formulation and implementation
4. Social and solidarity economy
5. Excellent communication and presentation skills.
6. Ability to work effectively in a team
7. Proficiency in designing, implementing, and evaluating public sector organizations' economic and social policies, programs, and projects.
8. Fluency in English, both spoken/written and knowledge of another official language of AU, will be an added advantage.

10. Evaluation and Selection Criteria

For evaluation of the submission, the following criteria will be applied:
Criteria Points --
Educational Qualifications -50
Experience relevant to the assignment -30
Time and activity schedule/Work plan-10
Language skills -10
Total - 100
Minimum score is 70 points (pass mark).

The two expert individual Consultants will be selected under the Fixed Budget selection method where the two Consultants who have scored the highest points within the set pass mark and within the fixed budget stated, will be selected for award of contract.

11. Confidentiality
The information shared with the consultants will be confidential and shall not be disclosed to anyone else or used in any other publication. The consultants must refrain from using any of the information shared in other publications. The final product of the consultancy will be submitted to the Department of Health, Humanitarian Affairs and Social Development for approval by the appropriate policy Organs. The African Union Commission reserves the right to amend the final documents before their submission for approval and owns the final products.

12. Letter of Invitation

The African Union Commission now invites eligible Individual Consultants to express their interest to undertake the assignment. Interested candidates must provide information demonstrating they have the required qualifications and relevan experience to undertake the assignment.

Documents required:

 Cover letter - Understanding of the assignment / TOR
 Curriculum Vitae (CV) and certified copies of academic qualifications
 Contacts of three most recent work-based referees.
 Your financial quote

Further clarifications can be obtained at: [email protected] during office hours 08:00-17:00 hours (Addis Ababa time). Always quote the APP Reference. Proposals should be submitted by email to the address below no later than 3.00 pm Addis Ababa time on 14 November 2025. Proposals received after the deadline will be rejected.

The Head, Supply Chain Management Division
African Union Commission, Addis Ababa, Ethiopia
Building C, 3rd Floor; Tel +251115517700;
Email:[email protected]