United Nations – The Nippon Foundation Strategic Needs Fellowship

Deadline: March 24, 2023

The Strategic Needs Fellowship aims to enable the most vulnerable States, particularly least developed countries, small island developing States and landlocked developing countries, to better address strategically important and time-sensitive issues facing them in ocean affairs and the law of the sea. Government officials from these States with a limited background in ocean affairs and the law of the sea, who are filling key positions in their Administration, are provided with in-depth, highly customized training on ocean affairs and the law of the sea, with a focus on those areas in which States have identified critical capacity barriers.

The Fellowship consists of a four-month training program at the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, Office of Legal Affairs of the United Nations Secretariat, at the United Nations Headquarters in New York. DOALOS develops a highly customized individual curriculum for successful candidates based on the high‐priority needs identified by their States and with a view to building the capacity of Fellows to assist the State in effectively addressing those strategic needs.

In addition, the Fellows will be fully integrated into the training activities developed for the UN-NF Fellows, thereby being exposed to opportunities for additional learning and networking.

The deliverables of the Fellowship Program include several assignments to be completed in the context of the training curriculum and the development of an ocean governance matrix.

Depending on the needs identified, Fellows may undertake a learning placement during the four-month training program with either a Department of the United Nations Secretariat, a specialized agency, an organization affiliated with the United Nations or another relevant organization.

The Strategic Needs Fellowship is offered annually, usually between August and December.

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Eligibility Criteria

States are invited to nominate Government officials with limited background in ocean affairs and the law of the sea, who are filling key positions in their Administration and who are tasked with assignments relating to the implementation of the United Nations Convention on the Law of the Sea and related instruments, as well as Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 14 and other related SDGs.

Nominated candidates must meet all the following criteria:

1. Must be between the ages of 25 and 40;
2. Must have successfully completed a first-level university degree;
3. Must be Government officials from developing countries dealing directly with critical issues related to the sustainable development of oceans and seas, including the implementation of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development; national and/or regional ocean policy; establishment of maritime zones and the delimitation of maritime boundaries; coastal zone management; conservation and management of marine living resources; maritime transport and shipping; maritime security; the protection and preservation of the marine environment; and marine science;
4. Their proposed study programme must contribute directly to the State’s formulation and/or implementation of ocean affairs and the law of the sea policies and programs;
5. Must be free of all non-Fellowship obligations during this entire period unless otherwise authorized by the Division for Ocean Affairs and the Law of the Sea, Office of Legal Affairs.

The candidate must demonstrate satisfaction with the above criteria through the application forms and be confirmed by a Nominating Authority. The “Nomination and Recommendation Form” must be completed by a Government official who can attest to the nature of the candidate’s work concerning the Government’s ocean affairs and the law of sea-related activities and indicate how an Award would directly contribute to these activities.

Women candidates are strongly invited to apply, with a view to achieving gender balance in the selection process.

Applications are welcome only when a call for applications is open.

Application Registration Deadline: 24th March 2023

To Apply: Click here

Official Website: Click here