Diplomatic training

Page under revision, May-June 2024

Several initiatives are in place to support capacity-building in negotiation and other diplomatic skills in LDCs:

• UNITAR has fellowships for nationals of LDCs to participate in its Multilateral Diplomacy Programme and core diplomatic training courses, and has special thematic courses and toolkits for LDCs;
• The WTO secretariat conducts courses for LDC participants on WTO issues and give LDCs priority in technical assistance and training. The LDC Group benefits from the support of a dedicated resource person in the LDC unit of the WTO’s Development Division. The “China Programme” at the WTO provides support to an internship programme; annual round tables on accession-related themes; the participation of LDC coordinators in selected meetings; a South-South dialogue on LDCs and development, among other forms of support.
• The Advisory Centre on WTO Law (ACWL) provides legal advice on issues related to WTO, WTO dispute settlement support and capacity-building, and LDCs do not have to join as members in order to benefit from its services.
• The Voluntary Technical Assistance Trust Fund to Support the Participation of Least Developed Countries and Small Island Developing States in the Work of the Human Rights Council (SIDS/LDCs Trust Fund) provides providing training on human rights and engagement with the Council, fellowship programmes and practical induction trainings for delegates, annual briefings to delegates in New York on the engagement with the General Assembly, and regional workshops.
• The LDCF (Least Developed Countries Fund; climate change) has funded programmes to build capacity of LDCs to participate effectively in climate change processes, including training of senior government officials, development of negotiation strategies and knowledge products (see, for example, Becoming a UNFCCC delegate: what you need to know (PDF), 2018).  The LDC Group maintains a list of resources for LDC climate change negotiators.
• The International Institute for Environment and Development (IIED) supports the LDC Group with on-demand legal, strategic and technical advice in climate negotiations.