Fellowship Structure, Phase Details & Post-Fellowship Follow-up

Fellowship Structure

The fellowship employs a structured, six-month, three-phase program that combines conceptual training, policy design, and applied implementation support. It aims to equip junior to mid-level African policymakers with the analytical and operational capacities to design data-driven, fiscally grounded, and context-responsive policy interventions aligned with national development priorities and institutional mandates:

1. Virtual Phase (1 Month – Conceptualization)

Fellows begin the programme with a virtual learning phase that focuses on conceptual clarity, diagnostic analysis, and policy design fundamentals:

• Fellows refine their project proposals into actionable policy frameworks grounded in national data systems and institutional realities.
• Interactive sessions are delivered by UN policy experts, development economists, and data specialists, with an emphasis on using administrative data and national statistics for decision-making.
• Fellows receive tailored mentorship on aligning their proposals with national planning frameworks and sectoral strategies.

2. In-Person Phase (3 Months – Policy Development at UN HQ, New York)

• During this residency, fellows are embedded in relevant UN Secretariat departments to deepen their understanding of how international norms, financing instruments, and cooperation frameworks interface with domestic policymaking:
• Fellows are placed within a host UN entity aligned with their proposed policy area (linked to one of the UN Secretary-General’s Six Transitions).
• They participate in intergovernmental and interagency policy dialogues, contributing African perspectives to global conversations while refining their interventions in real time.
• Fellows receive technical support to strengthen the fiscal and institutional feasibility of their projects, including methodologies for integrating DRM strategies and climate finance or leveraging SDG-aligned budgeting. 

3. Home Country Phase (2 Months – Preparation for the programmatic implementation with UN RCO Support)

• Upon return, fellows enter a phase focused on preparing implementation within their national institutions:
• With support from the UN Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO), fellows will engage with relevant ministries and stakeholders to assess institutional fit, political feasibility, and financing pathways.
• They will refine implementation plans and conduct preliminary risk and stakeholder analyses.
• Fellows formally present their policy frameworks to national authorities for feedback and alignment with ongoing national development plans and UN Sustainable Development Cooperation Frameworks.

4. Implementation

Following the six-month core fellowship:

• Fellows reintegrate into their public sector institutions with the objective to pursue implementation of their project.
• OSAA, in collaboration with the UN Country Team, will maintain structured follow-ups and technical support, facilitating access to UN system capacities and catalytic partnerships.
• Formal monitoring will be conducted annually to assess progress, capture lessons learned, and feed into policy dialogue at national and regional levels.

The programme will operate on a biannual cycle, with two cohorts per year (January–June and July–December).