On Monday 25 January, members of the diplomatic community and government officials who will represent their country at United Nations Economic and Social Commission for West Asia’s (ESCWA) 4th Meeting of the Technical Committee, which will be held 26 – 27 January, were given the opportunity to attend a preparation workshop on Conference Diplomacy, jointly organized by UNITAR and ESCWA. The training was led by UNITAR’s Multilateral Diplomacy Programme and was attended by 25 participants from Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, Sudan, Syria, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, Lebanon, Oman, Palestine, United Arab Emirates and Yemen.
Responding to the emerging challenges facing the diplomatic community in the region, the course was developed in close co-operation with ESCWA to increase the knowledge, awareness and skills-base of delegates, with a view to enabling them to perform more effectively in multilateral conferences, many of which are convened by ESCWA. The Commission provides a framework for the formulation and harmonization of sectoral policies for member countries and acts as a platform for conference and coordination in view of supporting economic and social development as well as the advancement of countries of the region. Success in achieving ESCWA’s mission depends primarily on the diplomats’ skills and understanding of the underlying dynamics at work as well as their ability to contribute to the process of conference diplomacy and shape an outcome that delivers added value and benefit for all parties.
Bearing these priorities in mind, the first session focused on establishing the environment in which multilateral conferences take place. The second session examined formal procedures and tactics in more detail, with participants gaining a greater understanding of conference dynamics while the final session explored the informal processes, such as consultation and lobbying, which are critical to meaningful conference participation.
Feedback from participants was very encouraging, with all participants citing the workshop as useful or very useful in light of their professional activities.
More information about training opportunities in the field of diplomacy, including a list of Core Diplomatic Training Sessions and e-Learning courses, can be found here.