Government of the Cook Islands
Te Kauono Tutara e te Mana Tiaki – Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Immigration
Friday May 2021, 12:00
MFAI launched this morning the first in a series of workshops aimed at enhancing the negotiating and diplomacy capabilities of government officials.
Partnering with the Australian High Commission for this first module, participants drawn from MFAI, Office of the Prime Minister, Ministry of Marine Resources, Cook Islands Tourism and the Ministry of Culture will focus sharing and learnings on diplomatic tradecraft.
Guest presenter for the workshop was Australia’s Charge d’affaires Peter Lothian who has served as an Australian diplomat to Fiji and the Solomon Islands and is presently an advisor in the Office of Australia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs Marise Payne.
In opening this mornings workshop, MFAI Secretary Tepaeru Herrmann encouraged participants to capitalise on the workshop learnings to enhance their existing negotiating and diplomacy skills. She said, “as public servants, we have a commitment to serve our people to the best of our ability. Where international engagement is necessary, working closely with relevant government and non-government stakeholders to articulate national priorities is critical. Thereafter representing and advocating for those priorities internationally requires skill, integrity and an ability to bring others around to the point of view of the Cook Islands”.
MFAI intend for future workshop participants to also include international officials drawn from the Cook Islands key bilateral partners including Australia.
The workshop was facilitated by the International and Trade Division of MFAI who have oversight of the Australia and bilateral partners beyond the Pacific relationships.
Queries regarding this media release can be directed to Mackenzie Wichman, Foreign Service Officer of MFAI’s International Affairs & Trade Division at mackenzie.wichman@cookislands.gov.ck or phone 29347.
Photos:
1 Australia’s Charge d’affaires Peter Lothian addressing participants
2 Participants from the Public Service
3 Workshop course material
4 Rarotonga, VIP Lounge - participants at the workshop and standing Public Service Commissioner, Mr Carl Hunter, MFAI Secretary, Ms Tepaeru Herrmann & Australia’s High Commission Charge d’affairesMr Peter Lothian
End.