About RT4D

The Regional Trade for Development (RT4D) initiative is funded by both the Governments of Australia and New Zealand. It assists ASEAN Member States (AMS) in meeting their commitments and realizing the advantages offered by the Agreement establishing the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area, or AANZFTA, and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, or RCEP.

Through the AANZFTA Implementation Support Program (AISP) and the RCEP Implementation Support Program (RISP), RT4D provides tailored support to enhance the capabilities of ASEAN Member States by strengthening skills, building networks, facilitating policy options and ensuring that trade benefits everyone, including Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), women and people with disabilities.

The Governments of Australia and New Zealand have committed up to AUD 48.7 million to fund RT4D from 2020-21 to 2027-28.

Project Summary

The RCEP Implementation Support Program (RISP), implemented RT4D Facility, aims to support AMS to realize the full benefits of RCEP through the provision of capacity-building support and access to technical expertise.

The following project is approved under RISP.

• Project name: Developing access for people with print disabilities to accessible format copies of published works
• Project Objectives: Viet Nam made its accession to The Marrakesh Treaty on December 6, 2022, coming into force on March 6, 2023. However, being a newer member of the Treaty, country officials have raised their need for technical assistance to better implement the Treaty and create better conditions for people with disabilities in the country to practice the rights to equality and community integration in the best possible manner.

This project aligns with the strategic direction of fostering RCEP Parties’ capabilities in implementing The Marrakesh Treaty, contributing to equality and social integration of Persons Who are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled.

Project Summary

The RCEP Implementation Support Program (RISP), implemented RT4D Facility, aims to support AMS to realize the full benefits of RCEP through the provision of capacity-building support and access to technical expertise.

The following project is approved under RISP.

• Project name: Developing access for people with print disabilities to accessible format copies of published works
• Project Objectives: Viet Nam made its accession to The Marrakesh Treaty on December 6, 2022, coming into force on March 6, 2023. However, being a newer member of the Treaty, country officials have raised their need for technical assistance to better implement the Treaty and create better conditions for people with disabilities in the country to practice the rights to equality and community integration in the best possible manner.

This project aligns with the strategic direction of fostering RCEP Parties’ capabilities in implementing The Marrakesh Treaty, contributing to equality and social integration of Persons Who are Blind, Visually Impaired, or Otherwise Print Disabled.

The AANZFTA Implementation Support Program (AISP), implemented through RT4D Facility, aims to support ASEAN Member States to realize the full benefits of AANFTA through the provision of capacity-building support and access to technical expertise.

The following project is approved under AISP.

• Project name: Assessing ASEAN Members State’s (AMS’) Readiness and Developing a Guideline for AMS to implement its trade-in services commitment of transposing from a Positive Listing to a Negative Listing approach in AANZFTA.
• Project Objectives: Regarding the liberalization of services among AANZFTA Signatory Parties, each country’s understanding, progress, and institutional capacity are variable. The Strategic Directions and Priorities of the Committee on Trade in Services look to narrow the regional gaps in institutional capacity to liberalize services trade and ensure the transition to the Negative List schedule for trade in services within the agreed timeframes.

Aligning with the Strategic Directions and Priorities of the Committee on Trade in Services, this project aims to support interested AMS, specifically The Philippines, Thailand, and Viet Nam, and others with a smooth transition to a Negative List approach within the committed timeframe, enabling trade in services liberalization.

About RT4D

The Regional Trade for Development (RT4D) initiative is funded by both the Governments of Australia and New Zealand. It assists ASEAN Member States (AMS) in meeting their commitments and realizing the advantages offered by the Agreement establishing the ASEAN-Australia-New Zealand Free Trade Area, or AANZFTA, and the Regional Comprehensive Economic Partnership, or RCEP.

Through the AANZFTA Implementation Support Program (AISP) and the RCEP Implementation Support Program (RISP), RT4D provides tailored support to enhance the capabilities of ASEAN Member States by strengthening skills, building networks, facilitating policy options and ensuring that trade benefits everyone, including Micro, Small and Medium Enterprises (MSMEs), women and people with disabilities.

The Governments of Australia and New Zealand have committed up to AUD 48.7 million to fund RT4D from 2020-21 to 2027-28.

Project Summary

The RCEP Implementation Support Program (RISP), implemented RT4D Facility, aims to support AMS to realize the full benefits of RCEP through the provision of capacity-building support and access to technical expertise.

The following project is approved under RISP.

• Project name: Effective application of Good Regulatory Practices (GRP) in developing technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures.
• Project Objectives: The objective of this project is to build capacity and a better understanding of (1) the effective application of GRP and (2) conducting Regulatory Impact Assessment (RIA) for Country officials who are involved in developing technical regulations and conformity assessment procedures in Viet Nam.

Through that, the project contributes to the strategic objectives of The RCEP Agreement as stated in Chapter 6, Article 2, namely, 6.2 (a), (b), (c), and (d).

• Project Structure: The project consists of four activities designed to deliver multiple outputs:
• Activity 1: Development of two Research Reports
• 1. One Research Report on GRP application
• 2. One Research Report on RIA implementation
• Activity 2: Development of two Guidelines acting as manuals for implementing organizations
• 1. One Guideline on GRP application
• 2. One Guideline on RIA implementation
• Activity 3: Organization of capacity building Training Courses
• 1. Three 1.5-day Training Courses on GRP: one in Vinh Phuc, one in Da Nang and one in Ho Chi Minh City.
• 2. One 1.5-day Training Course on RIA in Vinh Phuc
• Activity 4: Organization of one final Regional Workshop communicating project components’ findings.

Abt Global is seeking a suitably qualified individual to fill the role of Gender Equality, Disability and Social Inclusion (GEDSI) Specialist, Accelerated Immunisation and Health System Strengthening Phase 2 Program (AIHSS2) to be based in Port Moresby, PNG. 

Job description

Tender: Monitoring, Evaluation & Learning (MEL) Panel of Advisors
Reports to: MEL Lead, Partnerships for Infrastructure (P4I)
Location: Remote
Duration: To be engaged until 31 December 2025

Closing Date: Friday 15 November 2024

About P4I

Partnerships for Infrastructure (P4I) is an Australian Government initiative partnering with Southeast Asia to drive sustainable, inclusive, and resilient growth through quality infrastructure. P4I partners with Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Philippines, Thailand, Timor-Leste, Vietnam and the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN).

P4I works with partners to strengthen infrastructure decision-making and practice across the transport, energy, utilities and telecommunications sectors. P4I’s focus is on the early stages of the infrastructure lifecycle, including planning and prioritisation, financing strategy, and procurement.

The four main services offered by P4I are linkages with Australian government agencies and other institutions, technical and policy advice, infrastructure project advice and knowledge-sharing and learning.

As the foundation of quality infrastructure, P4I also integrates gender equality, disability, and social inclusion, and disaster risk reduction and climate change considerations into all activities.

Delivered through a single team, P4I is led by the Australian Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT) in collaboration with Ernst & Young, Adam Smith International, The Asia Foundation and Ninti One.

P4I has a head office in Bangkok, with other staff located around the region. More information about P4I is available at www.partnershipsforinfrastructure.org

Purpose

P4I maintains a panel of monitoring, evaluation and learning (MEL) advisors to support P4I activity teams to monitor, analyse and report on progress and outcomes of the activity portfolio across Southeast Asia. The panel consists of a database of organisations and individuals with demonstrated experience delivering high quality MEL technical assistance relevant to P4I’s mission. P4I is seeking applications from experienced advisors to join the Panel for the remainder of the current P4I phase to December 2025. The panel is a database of organisations and individuals with demonstrated experience delivering high quality MEL technical assistance relevant to P4I’s mission.

Location: Jakarta, Indonesia