International Consultant – ABS Legal Specialist
Position Circumstances
- Career Category: Advisor / Individual Consultant
- Schedule:Short-term
- Salary: N/A
Assignment Title: ABS Legal Specialist
Project: Advancing Access and Benefit Sharing Implementation in Cambodia (A-ABS), Ministry of Environment (MoE), the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC)
Post Level: Senior Specialist - International
Contract Type: Individual Contractor
Expected Place of Travel: Project sites in Cambodia
Contract Duration: 30 days from August 2026 to January 2027
Duties & Responsibilities:
- To advance the ABS framework, efforts will focus on developing new or revising the existing legislation and promoting its elevation to an ABS sub-decree . To strengthen the national ABS Governance, the Consultant is expected to develop an ABS Framework Implementation Plan and Model Contracts, considering the following Theory of Change:
- Planned Intervention: Develop and implement ABS legal and regulatory frameworks at the national and sub-national level, aligned with the Nagoya Protocol, including policy guidelines, permit systems, and compliance monitoring.
- Expected Result: A fully operational ABS framework at national and sub-national levels, ensuring compliance and improved resource management.
- Change Pathway: The creation of clear, streamlined, and tightly integrated legal and policy frameworks will enhance coordination among stakeholders and improve equitable access to and sharing of benefits derived from genetic resources.
- Model Contracts: The contracts that align and integrate with the overall ABS regulatory and institutional framework and will be used as part of the demonstration projects.
- The consultant will undertake three levels of analysis and stocktaking in support of how to augment, streamline, and adapt the current ABS regime in alignment with the sub-decree:
- Studying international experience on ABS, including ABS framework and legislation analysis and research on evolving international practices to determine whether and to what extent these international practices and experiences might affect or be of use to the Royal Government of Cambodia (RGC) in the strengthening of its national and sub-national ABS framework. This will cover experiences and developments in other countries that have already adopted legislation with the goal of implementing ABS across all levels.
- Detailed analysis of the legal and physical situation in Cambodia regarding: (i) current legislative landscape and arrangements therein in areas relevant to ABS, including the manner in which existing commercial and social legislation will apply to ABS contracts and mechanisms, as well as current legislation that addresses aspects of the governance of biological and genetic resources (GR) and commodities; (ii) the extent and nature of GR and traditional knowledge (TK) in the country, (iii) the current uses and known potential of those resources; and (iv) the extent to which the ABS framework (with its ability to bring a share of benefits and technology to local communities, protected areas and ethnic minorities) might provide an incentive for more effective conservation of existing ecosystems, species and ATK to provide a realistic analysis of the extent to which adoption of an ABS framework would have a beneficial impact on Cambodia; and
- Field investigations, along with the government officials, to Ratanakiri and Mondulkiri, directed at specifically identified practical and conceptual challenges relating to the implementation of ABS in Cambodia.
Expected Profile of Candidates
Languages:
- English - Fluent is required
- Khmer - Fluent is preferred
Qualifications:
- Master's Degree in Environmental Law, Natural Resources Management, Environmental Science, or Development Studies, and Other related fields as a minimum
Work History:
- Biodiversity and forest conservation, ecosystem protection, or related field for 10 years as a minimum
Skills & Knowledge:
General & Technical Skills
- Fluency in written and spoken English required. An understanding of Khmer is an advantage.
- At least five years of experience in the field of Access and Benefit Sharing, with a solid understanding of the Convention on Biological Diversity (CBD) and the Nagoya Protocol, including the understanding of Free, Prior and Informed Consent (FPIC), Mutually Agreed Terms (MAT), ABS contract negotiation, and permit/certificate issuance, for example.
- Proven experience in developing contractual instruments between Local Communities (IPLC) and private sector entities, ensuring FPIC and equitable benefit-sharing.
- Experience working in development partner-funded nature conservation or natural resource management projects.
- Solid understanding of Cambodia’s landscape, biodiversity, and ecosystem issues, including its values and functions.
- Experience in mainstreaming FPIC.
- Experience with GEF and/or other UN-assisted projects.
- Excellent analytical capacity and ability to synthesize project outputs and relevant findings for the preparation of project reports.
- Displays sensitivity and adaptability to different cultures, genders, religions, races, nationalities, and age groups.
- Good team player and self-starter, able to work with minimal supervision and maintain strong relationships.
