FSI partners with Cambodia’s first diplomacy institution

FSI and NIDIR officials discussed possible areas of engagement and joint activities between the two diplomatic institutions.

The Foreign Service Institute (FSI), through Officer-in-Charge Celeste Vinzon-Balatbat, welcomed delegates from the National Institute of Diplomacy and International Relations (NIDIR), Cambodia’s first diplomacy institution.

Cambodia’s Undersecretary of State and concurrent NIDIR President, Hon. Chhiv Yiseang, headed the delegation, which was in Manila for a working visit on 25-26 March 2019.

The working visit was to formalize the partnership between FSI and NIDIR on joint capacity-building activities to strengthen the research and training programs for their diplomatic personnel.

Aside from the visit to FSI, NIDIR delegates also had a courtesy call on Assistant Secretary Meynardo Montealegre of the Department of Foreign Affairs (DFA) Office of Asia and Pacific Affairs.

Assistant Secretary Ezzedin Tago of the Human Resources Management Office shared with NIDIR the DFA’s recruitment process for foreign service officers and staff and the Department’s human resources development program.

DFA also shared about the Philippines’s assistance-to-nationals program through a briefing from Executive Director Enrico Fos of the Office of the Undersecretary for Migrant Workers Affairs.

The NIDIR delegation also visited and toured the National Museum on 26 March through the arrangements made by the National Commission on Culture and the Arts. The visit and tour aimed to provide delegates a cultural exchange experience, as part of cultural diplomacy.

Other NIDIR delegates who were part of the working visit were Mr. Kong Aphiwath, Director of Training, and Mr. Seng Chan Pheakdey, Deputy Bureau Chief of Public Relations. Ms. Hul Thonnak, Second Secretary of the Royal Embassy of Cambodia, also joined them.

FSI was the first organization chosen by Cambodia’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs to engage in partnership with NIDIR.

Established only in 2016, NIDIR was set up to professionalize Cambodia’s diplomatic personnel. The partnership with FSI will help NIDIR achieve its mission, given FSI’s long history of excellence in research and training on diplomacy.