ABU DHABI, 24th February, 2023 (WAM) — The Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, MoFAIC, in partnership with the Anwar Gargash Diplomatic Academy, AGDA, the UAE’s leading diplomatic training centre, launched the DiploXchange program this month to facilitate the exchange of ideas , to increase understanding and provide on-the-ground learning experiences for foreign and Emirati diplomats.
Held in Abu Dhabi from 20-24 February 2023, the week-long program offered an immersive way to familiarize 20 foreign diplomats from different parts of the globe with the UAE’s political, economic and sociocultural trends. The program covers four main themes, focusing on the UAE’s history, public and cultural diplomacy, foreign policy and economy.
The first day started with an overview of the program and an introduction to UAE diplomacy. Al Saghira Al Ahbabi, Director of American Affairs, MoFAIC; and Mohammed Al Dhaheri, Deputy Director General of AGDA, welcomed the first cohort of the program.
The diplomats were treated to a series of lectures and interactive sessions by AGDA lecturers and interacted with MoFAIC representatives, who offered their views on UAE diplomacy. The diplomats also visited multiple sites across Abu Dhabi, including the Qasr Al Hosn, the Abraham Family House and the Sheikh Zayed Grand Mosque, highlighting the UAE’s cultural heritage and its fundamental principles of coexistence and tolerance.
The program concluded with a graduation ceremony and closing remarks by Sultan Al Shamsi, Assistant Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation for International Development. Al Shamsi appreciated the active participation of diplomats in the program and stressed the importance of such initiatives in promoting mutual understanding and cooperation among nations.
The DiploXchange program is one of the M1 projects initiated by the UAE government to strengthen the country’s regional and global competitiveness and help achieve national priorities. Guided by the 50-Year Principles roadmap, these projects aim to improve government effectiveness and create a new institutional culture that is in sync with and fulfills the aspirations of the future.