Bangola’s situation is critical: the developing African country needs international support. Agricultural yields are barely sufficient, there are threats of disease from polluted water and the infrastructure is ailing. The representative of the government water authority and her two colleagues from the agricultural and the transport ministries are sitting round a small negotiating table attempting to reach agreement. Which development projects should benefit from the 30 million euros from the European Union? Wells for agriculture, a wastewater system for the capital, an airport? The transport ministry representative, a young man dressed in a suit and tie, is speaking. And whilst he speaks, he gesticulates with one hand as if trying to emphasize his point: an airport, he says, is of great importance to Bangola, as it would make the country more attractive for foreign investors. The young woman from the water authority thinks differently. She argues for a new wastewater system to improve protection against cholera. And the colleague from the agricultural ministry has good reasons for an increased number of wells. The debate is lively, but without any results.
Twenty minutes have passed. Alexander Mühlen stops the negotiations and ends the role play. Bangola is in fact a fictitious state, and on this particular day it is located in the Federal Foreign Office in Berlin. The negotiations are simply an exercise that the former ambassador is playing through in a course with 15 young diplomats from Africa. The aim is to become familiar with international negotiation methods and techniques. At the negotiation table Sekou Camara from Guinea has just experienced how arduous it can be and now looks relieved. “Exercises like this help me to learn more about the right way to negotiate,” says the 29-year-old diplomat and personal assistant to the foreign minister.
It is for young African diplomats like Sekou Camara that the Federal Foreign Office (AA) has been organizing intensive courses lasting several weeks every year since 2007. The courses are part of the AA’s international diplomatic training scheme. Africa, Asia, Latin America, the Arab world, Central and Eastern Europe: since 1992 young diplomats from 140 countries have taken part in courses, and the network now has some 1,500 alumni. Africa is still a young participant in the programme. Two courses were offered in 2010, one in English and for the first time, one in French. Interest is high, and there are more applicants than available places. Prospective participants need good language skills and have to be selected by their country’s foreign ministry. One example is Oratile Khama. She is a 27-year-old diplomat from Botswana who works at the foreign ministry press office. Taking part in the course means a lot to her, since there is no comparable training in Botswana. “I particularly liked the economics lectures that the speakers presented from their own personal perspectives,” she says, as she describes her experience of the seminars.
In German foreign policy, Africa has gained increased attention, not simply in terms of training for diplomats: over the past three years Germany has expanded its cultural involvement and educational work in Africa with the Action Africa initiative. In 2008 the continent was a special focus in the Ambassadors Conference at the Federal Foreign Office. In 2010 Federal Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle travelled twice to Africa for political talks. “It’s a continent that has the strength to develop, and it stands on its own feet economically and politically,” says Alexander Mühlen. The retired diplomat has worked in the diplomatic service on four continents. His last position was as German ambassador in Uganda. He now heads the Africa programme in the international diplomats training scheme. Mr. Mühlen has hung a map of Africa on the wall of the seminar room. The respective national flags stand on the tables in front of the participants and there are piles of documents, such as the United Nations Charter or a book entitled “The UN Today”. All of this adds to the intense working atmosphere. “I’ve often asked myself why Germany has such a strong economy,” says Alifo Noble, whose jacket displays a shiny pin with the German and the Ghanaian flags. The 42-year-old expert from the foreign ministry looks after bilateral relations between the two countries. On his return to Accra he will be taking a wealth of background knowledge with him about the German economy. The economy is just one of the topics of the six-week courses. They also include German and European history, Germany’s Africa policies, the United Nations or, as witnessed today, international negotiations. Trips are also part of the programme, for instance to the EU or NATO in Brussels.
The clock in the seminar room tells us it’s just after 5 p.m., and the end of a strenuous day. Oratile Khama from Botswana and Lovelyn Bisangha from Cameroon are packing their things together. They look slightly tired, but happy. Although they’re still not fully-fledged negotiators, they both think the seminar exchange with colleagues from 15 African countries is a valuable experience: “Contacts and friendships develop here,” stresses Oratile Khama. It’s a network that can benefit the young diplomat and her colleagues in the future – worldwide.////
