For countries in Latin America and the Caribbean, having a thorough understanding of each other’s foreign policy objectives is essential for effective cooperation. Clingendael Academy's training programme ‘Enabling Closer Cooperation’ for junior diplomats from Central America, the Caribbean, Colombia, and Venezuela aims to contribute to this comprehension.  

Most of them are organised in several different regional organisations, ranging from the OAS (Organisation of American States) to CELAC (Community of Latin America and Caribbean States) to the OECS (Organisation of Eastern Caribbean States). As a result, these countries cooperate in different configurations on different yet sometimes overlapping topics.

The Netherlands as a Caribbean partner

The Kingdom of the Netherlands is an active participant in this region through its autonomous countries and special municipalities in the Caribbean: Aruba, Curaçao, and Sint-Maarten; and Bonaire, Sint Eustatius, and Saba respectively.

By inviting diplomats from Latin America and the Caribbean to The Hague and the Netherlands, we allow them to reflect on their cooperation in the region and to strengthen the ties between their countries. They do this amongst others by learning about regional cooperation in Europe and by exchanging policy priorities during group exercises.

Clingendael Academy and the Embassies in The Hague and Brussels

This year twenty countries participated in the training programme - a new record. The attendance of many of their Ambassadors and other Embassy staff in The Hague or Brussels during the closing demonstrated the strong links between Clingendael and the countries in Latin America and the Caribbean. 

Ambassadors and other Representatives of Embassies in The Hague or Brussels together with Mr. Ron Ton, Director of Clingendael Academy