News

Clingendael Academy starts new cooperation in Costa Rica
11 Dec 2015 - 15:23
Bron: Ron Ton together with Minister of Foreign Affairs in Costa Rica, Mr. Manual Gonsalez Sanz

Clingendael Academy’s director Ron Ton visited Costa Rica this week to launch new cooperation in the field of diplomatic training. The seminars delivered to diplomats from Costa Rica and the region constituted the first activities deployed by the Clingendael Academy in the Central American Region.

Meeting the Minister

During his visit Ron Ton met with Costa Rica's Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Manuel Gonzales Sanz and the Vice Minister of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Alejandro Solano-Ortiz. The Netherlands Ambassador in San José, Mrs. Mette Gonggrijp, opened the seminar and invited the participants for a closing reception at the residence.

International negotiations and capacity-building

Ron Ton offered a two-day seminar in international negotiations to 22 participants. Among the participants were diplomats and officials from Costa Rica, Guatemala, Trinidad and Tobago, Dominican Republic and Peru and senior staff members of the Costa Rican Foreign Service Institute. The seminar was highly appreciated and included concepts and strategies in negotiations, bilateral negotiations and negotiation styles profiling. Two simulation games, one on crisis management and one on the climate change negotiations of COP-21 in Paris, were also part of the training.

Photo from left to right: Ambassador Lydia Maria Peralta Cordero, Ron Ton, Vice Minister Alejandro Solona Ortiz,  Ambassador Mette Gonggrijp, Ambassador Jorge Franciso Saenz Carbonell and Minister Counsellor Ubaldo Garcia Ruiz.

The staff of the Foreign Service Institute took part in workshops on capacity building in diplomatic training. Among the topics were a competence methodology to identify the needs for training at various diplomatic levels, the development of interactive exercises and challenges in strategic development in diplomatic training.

Clingendael Academy further continues to strengthen the cooperation with Latin American countries. In February-March 2016 a four week diplomatic training programme will take place in The Hague.

 

Participants together with Ron Ton, Mw. Mette Gonggrijp, Dutch ambassador, and Dr. Jorge Saenz, Director FSI Costa Rica