Wednesday 23 November Foreign Minister of Indonesia Retno Marsudi and Trade and Development Minister of the Netherlands Lilianne Ploumen signed a new Memorandum Of Understanding on diplomatic training between Indonesian Foreign Ministry KEMLU and The Netherlands/Clingendael Academy. The new MOU was signed signed during the work visit of Dutch Prime Minister Mark Rutte and extends the cooperation for another three years.

The signing ceremony took place in the Presidential Palace in Jakarta under the auspices of President Joko Widodo and Prime Minister Mark Rutte. Clingendael Academy’s director Ron Ton was invited to attend the ceremony in the Palace.

Starting in 2004, Clingendael and the Centre of Education and Training (CET) at KEMLU have developed a unique cooperation in training junior-, midcareer- and senior diplomats in The Hague and providing seminars in diplomatic skills and capacity building in Jakarta. Up until now Clingendael Academy has been training 550 Indonesian diplomats in The Hague and at around 400 in Jakarta.

Both institutions work on diplomatic innovation in training and complement each other in substance and competences related to diplomatic work processes. The latest insights in current dilemma’s for instance on cyber security, maritime diplomacy, regional integration and promotion of trade and investments finds their way in diplomatic training programme, as well skills training in negotiation, mediation, networking and intercultural communications.

In his speech at an Alumni conference on the 22nd. of November for KEMLU diplomats Mr. Ron Ton expressed his gratitude to the many years of support and cooperation between the Ministries of Foreign Affairs of Indonesia and The Netherlands. During the same week Clingendael Academy provided several seminars in Jakarta, on the new challenges of diplomacy, international law, capacity building in diplomatic training and international negotiations.