Junior diplomats from Eastern Africa attend Clingendael training

In January, 20 junior diplomats from 10 Eastern African countries and regional organizations EAC and AU attended a training programme hosted by Clingendael Academy. Over the course of 3 weeks, the participating diplomats were challenged to strengthen their diplomatic skills and increase their knowledge on international affairs, with a focus on the African continent.

During this tailor-made course, the participants discussed, amongst others, their perspectives on current trends in diplomacy, gained insights in economic diplomacy and international law, and engaged in conversations about the role of climate change and sustainable development in their work practice. They also reflected on trends in international security and participated in an interactive ‘World Café’ on regional security.

World Café on regional security

In this World Café, the participants did a deep dive into three trends in regional security, like the rise of new geopolitical players such as middle powers and big tech, and the growing use of the economy as a geopolitical tool. In three rotating groups, they discussed the following questions:

• What are the opportunities for diplomats regarding the international security trend?
• What challenges for diplomats lie ahead considering the international security trend?
• What solutions for diplomats can we identify to tackle the challenges and capitalize on the opportunities posed by the new security reality?

This resulted in vivid discussions and some insightful presentations by the groups.

Apart from the wide variety of knowledge and skills sessions, the diplomats were familiarized with the workings of several international organizations, including the International Criminal Court and the International Court of Justice, to which The Hague thanks its name as ‘City of Peace and Justice’. They interacted with Dutch diplomats and made a working visit to the EU institutions in Brussels.

By bringing together diplomats from Eastern Africa, the training fostered exchange and dialogue on key diplomatic challenges while strengthening their professional networks. The essence of the course was well captured by one of the participants, who stated: 

“This programme has opened my eyes on the breadth of diplomacy and how much more I need to study.”