Environmental security, human security and regional security – these words were buzzing at the Ethiopian Civil Service University in Addis Ababa last week. Here, Clingendael Academy organised a training for aspiring Ethiopian diplomats on policy reporting. The training, which ran from 9 - 11 July, took a security focus. Participants trained their skills in analysing security-related issues and developments and trained making recommendations to decision-makers.

The interactive three-day training focused on various elements to strengthen the young civil servants’ abilities to formulate concrete policy recommendations, conduct stakeholder analysis and practice with prioritising policy actions. Additionally, the participants learned about presentation and argumentation techniques to strengthen an effective delivery of their findings.

The training was concluded with an interactive cyber-security case study. With time pressure and limited information, the policy makers found themselves in a pressure cooker situation to adequately assess the situation and present policy options.

The training was part of a long-standing framework cooperation between the Ethiopian Foreign Relations and Strategic Studies Institute (EFRSSI) and the Clingendael Academy. Clingendael Academy has previously organized trainings on conflict analysis, political reporting, country analysis, scenario building and strategic thinking, and negotiation and mediation. This workshop for the diplomats in training at the Ethiopian Civil Service University was facilitated by EFRSSI and conducted by Clingendael Academy.