News

Diplomats expand their understanding of the humanitarian sector
28 Apr 2021 - 14:55
Source: Clingendael

From humanitarian crises to your MFA: as a diplomat, what do you need to know about the humanitarian world? Whether your country is itself dealing with a humanitarian crisis, or it is involved with sending humanitarian assistance to another country: in both situations diplomats need to know about the humanitarian principles and the legal basis for humanitarian aid. What different types of aid organisations are there, and what challenges do they face in the field? How is humanitarian aid coordinated at different levels?

To gain more knowledge of these topics, 20 diplomats from all over the world took part in the third edition of ‘Diplomacy and the Humanitarian World’, a specialised course for diplomats who work on humanitarian issues.

From 6 – 15 April, this group of diplomats proactively deepened their understanding of the humanitarian world through self-paced modules, as well as live sessions with humanitarian practitioners and experts in the field, who shared their practical experiences and knowledge of a variety of topics. Which dilemmas do they face? How do they experience their encounters with diplomats? The participating diplomats engaged in lively discussions and by doing so, showed their dedication to come closer to the humanitarian sector.

To allow the diplomats to implement the lessons learned and ask any remaining questions, we give them another opportunity to engage with experts and share their experiences during a reflection day in June.