Twenty-two Nigerian diplomats are currently undergoing a special training programme at the Foreign Service Institute (FSI), New Delhi, India.
This two-week training programme which is to hold between July 30 and August 10, 2018 is part of the on-going cooperation and partnership between the Ministry of External Affairs of India and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria to improve capacity building under the South-South Cooperation.
According to a statement by the High Commission of India in Abuja, this is also part of India’s commitment to its friendly countries in sharing the knowledge and expertise acquired in the field of diplomats’ training through specialised training programmes under the decisions taken at the third India-Africa Forum Summit (IAFS-III) which took place in New Delhi in October 2015.
“Nigerian diplomats have been attending training programmes in FSI for courses like Professional Course for Foreign Diplomats (PCFD). However, this is for the first time, FSI is organising a specialised training programme exclusively for Nigerian diplomats. The specialised training programme for 22 Nigerian diplomats is fully funded by the Government of India,” the statement explained.
The objective of this special training programme, according to the statement, is to enrich Nigerian diplomats’ appreciation and understanding of critical international and regional issues world is confronting with, to acquaint with political, economic, social and cultural realities those sway the foreign relations, to acquaint them about India’s history and culture, to make participants aware of India’s view on contemporary issues and to hone diplomatic skills
“India and Nigeria stand as the two largest democracies in the world and Africa, respectively. As the two countries march ahead in their quest for economic and social development, collaborative efforts both at bilateral as well as at the regional and multilateral front are of immense importance. In this regard, the on-going Special Training Programme for Nigerian diplomats at the Foreign Service Institute in India provides an excellent platform to build bonds of friendship between the diplomats of the two countries,” the statement added.
