Clingendael Academy is developing its activities to support training and research institutes all over the world. Following the visit of director Ron Ton to Latin America, two Clingendael training and research fellows travelled to Addis Ababa last week to deliver a workshop on policy writing at the Ethiopian Foreign Relations and Strategic Studies Institute (EFRSSI). Attended by 12 staff member of the EFRSSI, this workshop aimed at enhancing the skills of policy researchers in writing policy memos, policy briefs and policy papers.

Sharing expertise

Considering EFRSSI’s particular interest in security studies, exemplary use was made of the Clingendael Institute’s considerable expertise in the field of policy writing in support of national and transnational security policies, such as this policy brief suggesting a policy response to the 2015 terrorist attacks in Paris, or this policy brief on EU maritime security strategy. Themes that were discussed during the workshop included different strategic approaches to peacekeeping, border management and forced migration.

An interactive approach

Participants to the workshop proved keen on learning and highly appreciated Clingendael academy philosophy of "learning by doing", engaging actively in the many different writing exercises which formed an integral part of the workshop.

Clingendael-EFRSSI co-operation

This workshop is part of a larger cooperation between Clingendael and EFRSSI. Clingendael will organise different capacity-building activities to support the development of EFRSSI over a period of three years, with the support of the Netherlands embassy in Addis. It follows two activities which already took place earlier in 2016, a workshop on scenario planning and a workshop on institutional capacity building. A comprehensive two-week programme on strategic policy planning is set to take place at the Clingendael Institute in The Hague in October 2016.

More information

For more information about our training in policy writing skills or about Clingendael Academy's capacity building activities please do not hesitate to contact Marianne Rogier or Paul Hendrix.