On Tuesday, May 28, 2024, Dutch Embassy had the honour of hosting the Clingendael Academy Director, Ron Ton,, as they made a courtesy visit to the Mission of the Democratic Republic of Timor-Leste to ASEAN. Ambassador-designate Natercia Cipriano Coelho da Silva warmly received us, and we engaged in fruitful discussions about enhancing diplomatic training and sharing valuable insights to elevate our institute’s offerings. We are truly grateful for this opportunity.

The Netherlands and Indonesia took a significant step towards solidifying their bilateral relations. Dutch Ambassador Lambert Grijns and Cecep Herawan, Secretary General of the Indonesian Ministry of Foreign Affairs, signed a Memorandum of Understanding on the extension of diplomatic training for Indonesian diplomats—a programme that Clingendael Academy has proudly supported for decades. Since its inception in 2004, over 1200 Indonesian diplomats have benefited from specialised training programmes, which cater to junior, mid-career, and senior diplomats, as well as government officials in Jakarta.

Following this monumental signing, Ambassador Grijns hosted a reception at his residence, inviting Clingendael Academy training alumni from Indonesia's Ministry of Foreign Affairs. The event saw a wonderful turnout of over 60 alumni, including those from the ASEAN Secretariat. Our alumni have forged and maintained countless connections and networks over the past 20 years. We are extremely grateful to the incredible diplomats who joined us for this special reunion.

Here’s to more partnerships and mutual learning!