Celebrating 11 years of cooperation

Eleven years. Thirty-two training programmes. And nearly 500 alumni. The Netherlands and Indonesia started their cooperation in diplomatic training in early 2004, when the directors of the two countries´ diplomatic training institutes signed the first MOU. Since then, training at Clingendael and in Jakarta has continued apace, with junior, mid-career and senior-level diplomats attending training at Clingendael, as well as workshops and capacity building seminars in Jakarta. Last week, we celebrated the continuing strength of this cooperation, together with many alumni and current trainees, at an alumni conference in Jakarta.

Shared challenges and opportunities for bilateral cooperation

Speakers at the conference from both sides emphasised the opportunities for bilateral cooperation, pointing to the Comprehensive Partnership Agreement signed in 2013 as a framework. With shared challenges and expertise in water management, maritime security, and cybersecurity, as well as great potential in trade and investment, the Netherlands and Indonesia may look toward each other as natural partners on many fronts – including diplomatic training on these and other issues.

Looking forward

With Indonesia’s newly appointed Minister of Foreign Affairs H.E. Ms. Retno L. P. Marsudi presiding over the signing ceremony, the Indonesian Secretary General, H.E. Y. Kristiarto S. Legowo, and the Dutch ambassador, H.E. Tjeerd de Zwaan, signed the fourth consecutive MOU, agreeing to a new series of diplomatic training programmes for 2015 and 2016.

For more information about Clingendael's cooperation in diplomatic training with Indonesia, you may contact Mr. Nils de Mooij (Training and Research Fellow). If you are interested in the Clingendael Academy's tailor-made diplomatic training programmes, you may contact Mr. Ron Ton (Director Clingendael Academy).