2023 marks twenty years of cooperation between Clingendael Academy and Indonesia. Last month, twenty junior diplomats from Indonesia came to the Institute for the 20th edition of the junior diplomatic training programme. The four-week programme provided the diplomats with skills and interactive exchanges with experts on topics relevant for their careers and for Indonesia.

After chairmanship of the G20 in 2022, this year Indonesia chairs ASEAN under the theme “ASEAN Matters: Epicentrum of Growth”. In alignment with their priorities, the training focused on the current diplomatic arena and modern diplomacy, international law, peace and security, regional and international cooperation, sustainability and climate. Topics such as cyber security, disinformation, maritime security in the Indo-Pacific, EU-ASEAN relations, Global Health Diplomacy, and the energy crisis were discussed.

The participants went on working visits to the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs, the International Criminal Court, UNDP, UNIDO, the European Commission, the European External Action Service, and Deltares. At the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO), the diplomats gained ideas on how to further strengthen the relationship between UNIDO and Indonesia on poverty reduction through productive activities, trade capacity building, energy for productive use, and energy efficiency and environment management. 

Clingendael Academy looks back on a successful programme and would like to thank the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Netherlands, the Centre of Education and Training (CET) of Kemlu and the Embassy of Indonesia in the Hague for their support.