Building Skills of Yugoslav and Serbian Officials: Training Program: U.S. Institute of Peace

Building Skills of Yugoslav and Serbian Officials

July 9 - 17, 2002

As part of the Institute's continuing "Balkans Initiative," which focuses on strengthening dialogue, problem-solving, and team-building, as well as skills training, we conducted the second set of back-to-back training programs with the Yugoslav Foreign Ministry and the Government of Serbia. Both programs were held at Palic, Serbia. The Foreign Ministry workshop concentrated on diplomatic skills training, including negotiations and mediation work and future-oriented problem-solving. Thirty new diplomats participated in the program, which built on and complemented the extensive training they continue to receive from the Ministry's Diplomatic Academy, which also is our partner in this effort. Fully 10% of the diplomats serving in the Ministry in Belgrade have now received Institute training.

The Serbian Government program was similarly focused on skills training as well as on networking and team-building among thirty officials from a dozen different Ministries and Agencies. Identifying the challenges confronting Serbia and the initiatives and policies most appropriate to meeting those challenges was at the heart of the workshop. The participants engaged enthusiastically and creatively in these exercises, and used them to develop insights into approaches to the professional challenges they confront every day. Once again, this program was carried out in collaboration with the Serbian Government's Agency for Public Administration Development. We look forward to continuing this series of workshops with both the Foreign Ministry and the Serbian Government in 2003.

United States Institute of Peace -- 1200 17th Street NW -- Washington, DC 20036
(202) 457-1700 (phone) -- (202) 429-6063 (fax)
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