Last Friday, the closing of the first edition of a special course on the United Nations and International Law, designed for South American diplomats, was celebrated. Taking place entirely online, this programme served to strengthen bilateral relations between the region and relevant counterparts in the Netherlands and the EU.

With the two thematic modules, the training provided the diplomats with the necessary knowledge and skills to improve their ability to represent their countries effectively in the multilateral sphere. Within this broad aim, key elements of the training included:

• Enhancing the participants expertise on international organizations and different dimensions of international law;
• The opportunity for participants to explore and share different multilateral perspectives amongst themselves
• Sharing of views with those directly involved in policymaking and project implementation at the EU and UN level.

In order to underpin the theoretic knowledge gained throughout the course with practical skills, this training made use of several innovative and interactive e-learning instruments to expand the participants skills on areas closely connected to the work in multilateral fora, such as:

• International negotiation skills
• Intercultural communication
• Stakeholder Analysis

All participants widely welcomed this opportunity to enhance their skills and knowledge from a distance. Especially in times of COVID-19, according to many participants, this programme provided an excellent opportunity to build relations with colleagues, expand their knowledge and acquire relevant skills for their line of work.