iOn Friday, 11 July, African diplomats participating in the fourth “Executive Master in Global Public Diplomacy and Sustainable Development” program, organized by UNITAR, in collaboration with the Luiss School of Government, and funded by the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, visited the Foreign Ministry.
Following previous editions, that meeting provided an opportunity to highlight Italy’s commitment to deepening its partnership with Africa, acknowledging the concrete results in training and capacity building achieved through the funded initiatives. It also provided an opportunity for discussion and exchange of views with the African diplomats involved.
The program of the event included a guided tour of the Farnesina Collection, organized by the Directorate General for Public and Cultural Diplomacy, followed by a speech by Stefano De Leo, Central Director for Africa, in the Sala Aldo Moro, with the participation of Minister Francesca Santoro, Head of the Office for East Africa and the Horn of Africa, and Professor Maria Elena Cavallaro, Professor of Contemporary History at Luiss and Coordinator of the Luiss Master’s Programs. In his opening remarks, the Director emphasized that, given Africa’s increasingly central role, it is crucial to invest in training new generations of diplomats capable of recognizing the value of dialogue and contributing to the search for shared solutions. These professionals, like artists, have solid technical skills, as well as an innovative vision of international relations and the tools for maintaining peace.
The Master’s program will address key current international issues, with particular attention to issues related to economic, commercial, and global security, in the broader perspective of promoting peace and stability. The ultimate goal of the initiative is to sharpen participants’ knowledge in areas such as strategic communication, sports diplomacy, artificial intelligence and cybersecurity, counterterrorism, food security, sustainable development, the role of social media in public communication, and innovation in business, enabling them to develop multicultural analytical skills in bilateral and multilateral work environments.
The program also includes joint training sessions between Italian and African diplomats, with a particular focus on exchanges aimed at strengthening the partnership between Italy and African countries, in the spirit of the Mattei Plan. The Master’s program is part of Italy’s traditional commitment to training in Africa, further enhanced by the Mattei Plan, which includes training in the priority areas of intervention for Africa’s growth. In line with this objective, this Directorate General promotes and finances many training initiatives promoting good governance, the rule of law, and the strengthening of constitutional systems in Africa with resources from the Missions Decree.
