March 28, 2022 (Entebbe, UGANDA): The IGAD Foreign Service Institute (IFSI) successfully conducted a three-day training on ‘Executive training in leadership and diplomatic skills: Communication and negotiation’. The training aimed to enhance the communication and negotiation skills of IGAD member states’ diplomats, focusing on improving their effectiveness in complex regional negotiations and fostering cooperation.
The training sought to enhance the ability of diplomats to engage in high-level communication and negotiations. It covered key areas such as developing effective communication techniques for diplomatic contexts, improving negotiation skills for regional development, peace, and economic integration, and increasing cultural awareness for successful diplomatic interactions.
In his opening remarks, Amb. Moussa Ali Meigague, the Director of the IGAD Foreign Service Institute, welcomed all participants and underscored the importance of communication and negotiation in achieving IGAD’s objectives. He emphasized that Ministries of Foreign Affairs serve as the focal points for IGAD activities and called for their active participation in regional efforts. He highlighted the need for collective action to accelerate regional economic integration.” To move forward with regional economic integration, everyone must be on board. We need your active participation and input throughout this training to help identify the challenges we face”, he said.
By the end of the workshop, participants gained valuable insights and practical skills in communication and negotiation, which are critical for addressing the region’s most pressing challenges. They learned how to apply effective communication techniques, manage cultural differences that influence both verbal and nonverbal communication, ensuring smoother interactions in negotiations, and navigate complex regional negotiations with greater confidence and strategic foresight.
This training was conducted with the financial support from the European Union through the European Union Trust Fund (EUTF) through the Austrian Development Agency (ADA) under the IPPSHAR Program.
