Clingendael Diplomatic Studies Programme CDSP

First Clingendael course for Tunisian diplomats

March 18, 2010. From 8 until 12 March the Clingendael Institute welcomed, for the first time, a delegation of fifteen Tunisian junior diplomats in a training course on International Relations and Diplomatic Practice. The programme was carried out in the framework of the Matra-flex programme. During an intensive one-week training programme, the diplomats dealt with a wide range of topics varying from the European Union and human rights to economic diplomacy, energy and international security. These as well as other issues were intensively discussed in a challenging programme consisting of a mix of seminars, lectures, case studies and working visits. During the week the participants also strengthened their diplomatic skills in international negotiations, intercultural communication and public speaking. They made a working visit to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and engaged in networking activities with junior diplomats from Indonesia and the Great Lakes Region, who were also present at the Institute in the same week. With this first programme for Tunisian diplomats, the Clingendael Diplomatic Studies Programme has successfully concluded another diplomatic training programme. The Clingendael Institute would like to thank the institutions and lecturers who contributed to the success of this programme.

H.E. Ambassador of Tunisia Mr. Tekaya, Mr. Dawsar Drissi (Tunisian Embassy), Ms. Eva Kalkhoven (Ministry of Foreign Affairs), Clingendael staff and Tunisian junior diplomats standing in front of the Clingendael Institute.

AN OPEN MARKET? Political Obstacles and Chinese Investment in Europe

March 4, 2010. 5th of March this International Conference will be arranged by Clingendael Asia Studies and Nyenrode Business University at Institute Clingendael. This one-day International Conference addresses the relationship between economic and political considerations that are relevant for the inflow of Chinese investments into Europe. These considerations relate to both European governments and Chinese investors. At present, Chinese investments in Europe represent only a fraction of the total bilateral investment flows (Chinese FDI inflow into the European Union was 0.1 billion euro in 2008). This is set to change in the coming years, however. In September 2009 Wen Jiabao, China’s premier, announced that Beijing would use its foreign exchange reserves to support and accelerate overseas expansion and acquisitions by Chinese companies. Estimated at more than 1,500 billion euro, the Chinese foreign exchange reserves are the largest in the world. Read more »

Changes in Consular Assistance and the Emergence of Consular Diplomacy

February 4, 2010. The latest issue in the Clingendael Diplomacy Paper series, by Clingendael Research Fellow Maaike Okano-Heijmans, analyses the consequences of change in individual and collective (crisis) assistance by foreign ministries, arguing that consular activity increasingly has the potential of being 'upgraded' to a diplomatic matter that becomes a concern in relations between two (or more) countries. Okano-Heijmans finds that as consular challenges grow and government funding decreases, foreign ministries in the years ahead need a forward-looking consular diplomacy strategy to balance the tension between securing national interests and protecting the narrow interests of individual citizens. The paper is published by the Clingendael Diplomatic Studies Programme. Download PDF »

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