News Releases

UWI Diplomatic Academy Skills Training in Protocol and Diplomacy is more in demand than ever

For Release Upon Receipt - November 9, 2022

St. Augustine


ST. AUGUSTINE, Trinidad and Tobago. Wednesday 9 November 2022 – On November 4th,2022, The Diplomatic Academy of the Caribbean (DAOC) of the Institute of International Relations at The University of the West Indies (The UWI) St. Augustine Campus wrapped up delivery of the 17th edition of its training module on Protocol and Diplomacy: A Guide for the Modern Professional. This five-day long virtual training is an in-demand module, with cohort 17 comprising over 30 Caribbean Community (CARICOM) nationals based variously in nine CARICOM member states, one associate member of the regional grouping and the People’s Republic of China. Public sector officials, who are based in foreign and line ministries, constitute the majority of this cohort.                                  

“The consistently high interest in and uptake of this flagship DAOC online training module affirms the continued relevance and effectiveness of the Diplomatic Academy’s support for protocol and diplomacy capacity building, which is aimed at both state and non-state actor stakeholder communities, throughout the Caribbean and beyond,” said the DAOC Manager, Dr. Nand C. Bardouille. He noted, “For several years now, this DAOC training module has contributed to regional states’ success in bilateral and multilateral diplomatic practice. The magnitude of pressing and shifting international challenges make it imperative for those in an international career to upskill and train accordingly. Now, more than ever this module is so vitally important to Caribbean professionals with an international outlook on their career.”

The module’s teaching team was headed by Ms. Gail P. Guy, who is a retired diplomat and protocol consultant. Ms. Marise Warner, an attorney-at-law and international law specialist, served as the co-facilitator.         

By virtue of two roundtables, which were driven by panelists variously operating in the fields of diplomacy and protocol, module participants were also exposed to the subject area perspectives and professional experiences of senior international experts, experienced diplomats and Protocol Officers. The roundtables were convened as follows:

Virtual Roundtable#1 – November 1st – subject: Diplomacy

Theme: Maintaining world peace and security has been extremely challenging for the nations of the UN, and from time to time, we appear to be on the brink of the unthinkable. Has the UN been more successful at “promoting social progress and better standards of life in larger freedom”? Discuss in the light of the 2030 Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals. 

His Excellency Dennis Francis, Head of Mission and Permanent Representative of the Republic of Trinidad and Tobago to the United Nations, New York (and moderator of the roundtable)

Ambassador David Prendergast, Director, Sectoral Programmes, Directorate for Economic Integration, Innovation and Development (EIID), Caribbean Community (CARICOM) Secretariat

Mr. John E. Lewis, Regional Peace and Development Advisor (PDA) – Caribbean, The UN Resident Coordinator’s Office (RCO), United Nations Trinidad and Tobago

Dr. Abdullahi O. Abdulkadri, Coordinator, Statistics and Social Development Unit, United Nations Economic Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean (ECLAC), Subregional Headquarters for the Caribbean in Port of Spain, Trinidad and Tobago

Virtual Roundtable#2 – November 3rd – subject: Protocol, focusing on ceremonials for State and Official Visits.

Ms. Guy (moderator of the roundtable)

Mr. Franz Hall, Under-Secretary (Acting), Diaspora, Protocol and Consular Affairs Division, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Jamaica

Brigadier General Dexter Laurence Francis, Vice Chief of Defence Staff, Trinidad and Tobago Defence Force (TTDF) – supported by Major Kester Francis, Band Master, TTDF

Ms. Joanne Alfred, Chief of Protocol, Protocol Division, Ministry of Foreign and CARICOM Affairs, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

Mrs. Keisha Rochford-Herbert, Protocol and International Relations Adviser, The Office of the President, Republic of Trinidad and Tobago

Mrs. Angella Rose-Howell, Director (Actg.), Protocol Department, Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade of Jamaica delivered feature remarks at the module’s closing ceremony held on November 4th. Mrs. Rose-Howell called attention to the fact that “[w]hile the practice of Protocol and Diplomacy may be less known and understood by the public and those outside of this field, it is very important in how countries like ours engage with international partners particularly in this global and inter-connected world. This kind of training is therefore not only relevant to those in the Foreign Service but also for the professionals in various fields with an interest in engaging on an international level.” Mrs. Rose-Howell placed an emphasis on “the importance of culture, cultural understanding, as well as communication and their relevance in the overall conduct of Protocol and Diplomacy.”

Ms. Debra Dipchansingh, Assistant Director (Ag.), Technical Cooperation Unit, Ministry of Planning and Development of Trinidad and Tobago delivered remarks on behalf of the module participants. Ms. Dipchansingh underscored that participants lauded the module. 

In conveying their own feedback subsequently, several participants indicated that their respective organizations’ “international interactions are set to considerably improve” in light of their matriculation in the training module under reference. Other participants commended the module facilitators, as well as the roundtable panelists, for how “knowledgeable they are in respect of specialized subject matter at the core of this module.” Still others highlighted the “high quality of the resource persons’ presentations.”  

END  

About the Diplomatic Academy of the Caribbean

The DAOC is the Caribbean's premier professional development-oriented diplomatic studies centre. An integral part of The University of the West Indies’ Institute of International Relations (IIR), it was established in 2014. The DAOC has a primary teaching mandate in the area of diplomatic studies, offering short, highly specialized training modules in the broad field of diplomatic studies. For Caribbean professionals seeking to expand their capabilities to advance an international career, the DAOC is a trusted educational partner. Combining a world-class suite of curricular offerings, which align with topical policy and learning trends, with a programme of advocacy and partnerships regarding the relationship between diplomacy and the Caribbean, the Diplomatic Academy provides a unique setting for stakeholders to deepen diplomatic skills/knowledge and enhance policy expertise.

The DAOC has yielded substantial and complementary benefit to the IIR, which was established in 1966 by agreement between the Government of Trinidad and Tobago and the Government of Switzerland.

Integral to the DAOC's mission is its commitment to help close human resources capacity gaps in international affairs and diplomacy in the Caribbean, by providing capacity-building and skills development training in diplomacy to up and coming diplomats and to aspiring diplomats from the Caribbean Region. This diplomatic learning and training facility also strengthens the University's capacities for research/analysis, knowledge‐sharing, advocacy, and partnerships and dialogue on the relationship between diplomacy and the Caribbean broadly conceived, with the goal of helping to facilitate policy-relevant awareness-raising on international affairs issues of import (and that are topical) to the Region.

The Diplomatic Academy derives its character from its global outlook, real-world impact, and Caribbean mindedness which, in sum, constitute The DAOC Advantage™. For more information, please visit:  https://sta.uwi.edu/daoc.

About The University of the West Indies

 The UWI has been and continues to be a pivotal force in every aspect of Caribbean development; residing at the centre of all efforts to improve the well-being of people across the region.

 From a university college of London in Jamaica with 33 medical students in 1948, The UWI is today an internationally respected, global university with near 50,000 students and five campuses: Mona in Jamaica, St. Augustine in Trinidad and Tobago, Cave Hill in Barbados, Five Islands in Antigua and Barbuda and its Open Campus, and 10 global centres in partnership with universities in North America, Latin America, Asia, Africa and Europe.

 The UWI offers over 800 certificate, diploma, undergraduate and postgraduate degree options in Culture, Creative and Performing Arts, Food and Agriculture, Engineering, Humanities and Education, Law, Medical Sciences, Science and Technology, Social Sciences, and Sport. As the Caribbean’s leading university, it possesses the largest pool of Caribbean intellect and expertise committed to confronting the critical issues of our region and wider world.

 The UWI has been consistently ranked among the top universities globally by the most reputable ranking agency, Times Higher Education (THE). In the latest World University Rankings 2022, released in September 2021, The UWI moved up an impressive 94 places from last year. In the current global field of some 30,000 universities and elite research institutes, The UWI stands among the top 1.5%.

 The UWI is the only Caribbean-based university to make the prestigious lists since its debut in the rankings in 2018. In addition to its leading position in the Caribbean, it is also in the top 20 for Latin America and the Caribbean and the top 100 global Golden Age universities (between 50 and 80 years old).  The UWI is also featured among the leading universities on THE’s Impact Rankings for its response to the world’s biggest concerns, outlined in the 17 United Nations Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), including Good Health and Wellbeing; Gender Equality and Climate Action.

 For more, visit www.uwi.edu.

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