Economic Affairs Intern (Start ASAP)

Duties and Responsibilities

This internship is located in the International Tax and Development Cooperation Branch (ITDCB) / Financing for Sustainable Development Office (FSDO) / Department of Economic and Social Affairs (DESA). Applicants are accepted on a rolling basis between November 2024 through Summer 2025 — please indicate the period during which you are available in your application.

Internships last for three months with an opportunity for an extension of up to six months depending on the needs of the Office. Depending on the situation of the successful candidates, the internship may also offer a Flexible Work Arrangement to be conducted fully remote, hybrid (in-person and remote), part-time, and/or temporary FWA for the purpose of G-4 visa processing.  

Provide support to the work of the DCF Team and the International Tax and Development Cooperation Branch by: 

• Carrying out research for policy papers and contributing to data collection on key trends and emerging issues in international development cooperation and sustainable development. Research areas could include, but are not limited to, trends and challenges in:
  • Quality, effectiveness, and impact of official development assistance (ODA)
  • Capacity development for domestic resource mobilization, data and statistics, and science, technology, and innovation
  • Building resilience through risk-informed and climate-smart development cooperation
  • South-South and triangular Cooperation
  • Private sector engagement in development cooperation
  • And monitoring, review, and impact assessment.
• Helping to disseminate DCF analysis, recommendations, and policy guidance through various communication and outreach channels in service of overall efforts to make the DCF's work more accessible and engaging to a wider range of stakeholders, including youth. This involves preparing content for UN social media activities, blog articles, news articles, and press statements on behalf of senior UN officials.
• Assisting in the substantive preparation and organization of the 2025 High-level Meeting of the DCF at UN Headquarters (12-13 March 2025), as well as any virtual and in-person events in the lead-up to the High-level Meeting.
• Preparing and providing input for briefing notes, talking points, speeches, and similar materials on development cooperation issues for senior UN officials.
• Following intergovernmental meetings of the General Assembly and Economic and Social Council and preparing draft summaries.
• Assisting with any other ad hoc assignments related to the DCF. 

During the internship, the intern will:

• Learn to prepare briefing notes, draft policy papers with concrete policy guidance, and do background research for analytical work by the Secretariat focused on the latest trends, progress, and emerging challenges in international development cooperation.
• Test and refine their skills in preparing outreach and communication materials, including social media and website content.
• Learn to organize and provide substantive support to high-level intergovernmental meetings and policy dialogue, and gain experience in related inter-governmental, multi-stakeholder, and inter-agency processes.
• Gain insight into the conduct of international policy dialogue, consultations, and negotiations, including follow-up and review of the 2030 Agenda for Sustainable Development and Addis Ababa Action Agenda.
• Learn to work in a truly international environment with diverse colleagues and stakeholders and engage with policymakers and practitioners at the concrete level.

Qualifications/special skills

Applicants must meet one of the following requirements:

• Be enrolled in, or have completed, a graduate school programme (second university degree or equivalent, or higher)
• Be enrolled in, or have completed the final academic year of a first university degree programme (minimum bachelor's degree or equivalent).
• Applicants to the UN Internship Programme are not required to have professional work experience. However, a field of study that is closely related to the type of internship that you are applying for is required.
• Applicants must be a student in the final year of the first university degree (bachelor's or equivalent), Master's, or Ph.D. Programme or equivalent, or have completed a Bachelor's, Master's or PH.D. Programme.

Do you meet any of the above criteria? If yes, please indicate which one and attach proof to the application. Please note that you will have to provide an official certificate at a later stage.

Expected duration: 3 Months

Languages

English and French are the working languages of the United Nations Secretariat. Fluency in spoken and written English is required for the Internship Programme. Knowledge of an additional official UN language is an asset. Arabic, Chinese, English, French, Russian, and Spanish are the official languages of the United Nations Secretariat

Additional Information

This internship is designed to be full-time and in-person but can be adjusted based on the needs of the successful candidate.

Intern Specific text

Interns are not financially remunerated by the United Nations. Costs and arrangements for travel, visas, accommodation, and living expenses are the responsibility of interns or their sponsoring institutions. Interns who are not citizens or permanent residents of the country where the internship is undertaken may be required to obtain the appropriate visa and work/employment authorization. Successful candidates should discuss their specific visa requirements before accepting the internship offer.