From 19 to 22 October 2026, the Education & Training Programme of the Egmont Institute launched a Training of Trainers programme in Bujumbura, aimed at supporting Burundi’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Regional Integration and Development Cooperation (MAEIRCD) in developing its own diplomatic training system. Funded by Belgian Development Cooperation, the initiative consists of four training sessions running from October 2026 into 2027, with the objective of establishing a pool of internal trainers equipped to design and deliver training tailored to the Ministry’s needs.
The first session brought together 17 experienced Burundian diplomats, including eight women and nine men, and was officially opened by the Permanent Secretary of the MAEIRCD and the Head of Cooperation of the Embassy of Belgium. Facilitated by Honorary Ambassador Johan Verbeke and training engineering expert Ophélie De Clercq, the four-day session combined diplomatic expertise with pedagogical methodology. Working collaboratively and drawing on their professional experience, participants developed and validated a competency framework covering seven areas and approximately 30 competencies essential to the exercise of diplomatic functions. They also defined the structure of the future training programme around four modules and established working groups responsible for their development.
The following sessions will focus on designing the training modules and preparing participants to deliver the training themselves. By placing Burundian officials at the centre of the development process, the initiative aims to ensure that the resulting training system reflects the Ministry’s institutional realities and priorities, while strengthening its long-term capacity to train future generations of diplomats.
