Multilateral Negotiations and Conference Diplomacy: 

Duration: 2 to 4 days

Learning outcomes after completing the training:

• Participants will have an introductory overview of the world of multilateral conferences
• Distinguish between formal and informal processes of conference diplomacy
• Unpack what constitutes interventions, documents and resolutions
• Explain negotiation and decision making
• Able to plan and preparing for an international conference
• Insight into Chairing of international conferences

Outline of Curriculum:

• Module 1: Welcome to the World of Multilateral Conferences
• Module 2: The Formal and Informal Process of Conferences
• Module 3: Interventions, Documentation and Resolutions
• Module 4: Negotiation and Decision Making
• Module 5: Chairing International Conferences
• Module 6: Preparing for an International Conference

Who should participate?

Diplomats, Embassy staff, civil servants involved in the preparation and actual participation in multilateral negotiations and conference diplomacy.

Training Methodology:

Training material is presented within a diplomatic practitioner’s context with experiential exercises used to consolidate the learning experience.

Training interventions include:

• Readings and study notes
• Slide presentations
• Subject matter experts and practitioners
• Group discussions
• Role-play & simulations (including 1 full day conference negotiation exercise)
• Group activities and verbal feedback
• Anecdotal sharing by experienced diplomats

Training principles used:

• Positive learning environment
• Learner involvement
• Collaboration among learners
• Variety that appeals to all learning styles
• Learning takes place on many levels simultaneously
• Contextual learning
• Learning comes from doing it yourself

Commitment required:

• Participants need to attend all the training sessions
• Participants need to stay for the duration of the training session

Certificate of Attendance:

Participants will receive certificates of attendance and participation.

Trainer:

The trainer is a former diplomat with 18-years diplomacy experience and 7-years diplomatic training experience. The course material that is used has been developed by the United Nations Institute for Training and Research (UNITAR) in collaboration with DIRCO.

Diplomatic Training clients include:

• DIRCO
• South African Reserve Bank
• Religious Liberty Commission
• University of Pretoria
• Children's Rights Centre
• James 1:27 Trust

Recommendations:

“Mr Robert Botha draws on extensive and specialised diplomatic experience in his presentation of courses. He thrives in situations of diversity and challenge, and has the ability to make every single member of a group feel valued, engaged and inspired. His extraordinary talent in customising courses to fit any given target group, makes him a partner of choice in our own delivery of short courses to diplomats from across the continent. In this regard we have experienced him to be one of our most reliable and professional partners, and participant feedback on his lecturing/facilitation has only confirmed the trust we have in him."

- Dr. Yolanda Kemp Spies, Former Programme Director: Master of Diplomatic Studies
Department of Political Sciences, Faculty of Humanities, University of Pretoria