Intern - Political Affairs (political monitoring and analysis on Western Africa)

This internship is located in the Western Africa Division (WAD) in the Department of Political and Peacebuilding Affairs and Peace Operations (DPPA-DPO) at United Nations Headquarters in New York. The intern will monitor and analyze political and security developments in West Africa and the Sahel, prepare reports, assist in briefing materials, and perform research assignments. The internship is full-time, in-person, and unpaid for a duration of three to six months.

Responsibilities

• Monitor and analyze key political and security developments in West Africa and the Sahel.
• Provide a daily news feed on West Africa and the Sahel based on situation reports, press clippings, and media reports.
• Summarize key public and academic articles and correspondences relating to West Africa and the Sahel, with special focus on climate security and related work by ECOWAS.
• Prepare weekly reports on developments in the areas under the purview of WAD.
• Track progress in the implementation of the UNISS, particularly by UNOWAS, and establish a repository of information and a database on the Sahel.
• Assist in the preparation of briefing materials for senior UN officials.
• Participate in meetings and draft minutes/meeting summaries.
• Carry out individual research assignments.
• Perform any other duties as requested.

Requirements

• Be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher); or be enrolled in, or have completed, the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor's level or equivalent).
• A field of study closely related to political affairs or international relations is required.
• Applicants must be a student in the final year of the first university degree (bachelor or equivalent), Master’s or Ph.D. Programme or equivalent, or have completed a Bachelor’s, Master’s or Ph.D. Programme.
• Experience drafting analytical papers, meeting minutes and reports is required.
• Fluency in spoken and written English and French is required.
• Knowledge of an additional UN language is an asset.

Skills

• Political Monitoring
• Political Analysis
• Security Analysis
• Report Writing
• Analytical Paper Drafting
• Meeting Minutes Preparation
• Research
• Briefing Material Preparation
• English Fluency
• French Fluency

Languages

English, French