African Diplomatic Etiquette, Protocol and
Cooperation Workshop

The protocol rules are universal as fixed in Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations. However diplomatic practice varies in different countries.

Protocol is an important part of diplomatic practice. With the advent of air travel, Heads of State and respective delegations began to meet more often, resulting in a rise in summitry. Such meetings necessitate that protocol procedures and etiquette are strictly followed in order to find a balance between commonly accepted norms of behaviour that need to be applied during such occasions. Diplomatic Etiquette and Protocol can be intimidating and difficult to grasp without specialised background knowledge and experience.

As staff of a major international organisation, you may be called upon to organise and make arrangements for events, conferences and meetings, whether they be formal or informal, official or unofficial. This requires an in-depth understanding of the various layers of Protocol and Etiquette. Etiquette helps one present oneself in a professional manner not only in diplomatic circles but also in business-related scenarios.

The ever-changing business environment and the diversity of cultures demand that business executives master the basics of etiquette and better understand multicultural manners.

Workshop Objectives

This workshop is an opportunity for diplomatic and consular representatives (protocol officers, ambassadors' secretaries etc) as well as institutions, both private and public, that would like to expand their knowledge about diplomatic protocol practice. The workshop aims to enable the participants to get a better understanding of official protocol and etiquette as practiced at state level, at international meetings, and at business meetings through highly interactive exercises.

At the end of this 2-day training, participants should be able to take the right decisions and consider a broad spectrum of possible Protocol-related situations and Etiquette guidelines, to enable them to confront challenging and new situations confidently particularly when dealing with high-ranking government officials.

Who Should Attend?

This workshop is open to members of Permanent Missions and delegates of Ministries of Foreign Affairs and other government officials, representatives of international, intergovernmental, and non-governmental organizations. Senior managers from the private sector are equally invited to benefit from this unique course.

Conference Outline:

Day 1

• Diplomacy, Multilateral & Negotiation (Bilateral and Trilateral Agreements).
• Protocol and Cooperation (Development Cooperation).
• Mission Administration.
• Government Relations (Balancing Foreign Policy).
• Corporate Service for Managers & Attachés.
• Negotiation & Communication Skills.
• Conflict Analysis & Conflict Resolution (Refugee problem in Cape Town and Pretoria case study).
• Security & Stability.
• Emotional Intelligence.

Day 2

• Organisation of Foreign Visits (State, Official, Working & Private).
• Develop a stronger sense of own culture and identity through engagement with other cultures.
• Better understand cross-cultural issues.
• Organisation of TRADE MISSIONS (Government and Private Companies)

Guest Speakers