Kigali, the capital of Rwanda, hosted the first negotiation skills training for humanitarian aid workers in The Great Lakes Region by Clingendael Academy.

Eighteen participants from Burundi, Rwanda and the Democratic Republic of Congo brought decades of experiences in the field, managing security and distribution of humanitarian aid in a region sadly marred by conflict for a long time.

During this recent training, the Francophone aid workers went through the Academy’s tried-and-tested foundation course on negotiation skills for humanitarian aid workers. The focus of such a foundational course is to offer practical techniques which allow aid workers to recognise different types of negotiations and develop a strategy to achieve their objectives. 

Participants commented on the marked difference felt by their ability to structure their preparation and to analyse the situations they find themselves in. Many of them mentioned how often they operate under emergency settings trying to gain access to areas that are blocked by a wide(ning) variety of armed groups, allowing little time for thorough preparation. Throughout the 4 day training participants also reflected on the importance of internal coordination between teams working the field and we are confident that the many new ties made during the training will have long lasting benefits.  

For more training opportunities, check our training page or get in touch with one of the trainers.