Navigating the currents of change: empowering youth through Young Water Diplomats Programme
The young diplomats of today are immersed in the dynamic realm of water-related issues spanning the entire globe. They are already positioned, or soon will be, at the vanguard of negotiations with representatives from other nations, tackling the very challenges that revolve around water. It is of paramount importance, therefore, to fortify their knowledge and capabilities across a multitude of topics. From delving into hydrology and groundwater to navigating the intricacies of infrastructure, climate change, and the art of water diplomacy, their expertise must be honed.
IHE Delft’s annual Young Water Diplomats Programme, launched in January 2022, takes participants on a riveting journey through the lens of transboundary cooperation—a perspective that unlocks a treasure trove of interdisciplinary insights.
Designed as a 6-month hybrid programme for interdisciplinary training and networking for early career diplomats engaged in international water and environmental politics, this year the programme was attended by 17 participants from 14 countries.
“My fascination with diplomacy began as a child when I looked at a sky dotted with airplanes, wondering who gets to be in the air, travelling between places and perspectives”, said Teresa Mutenyo Wanyonyi, participant and senior transboundary officer at the Ministry of Water, Sanitation and Irrigation, Kenya.
South-north academic collaboration
Lectures in programme are given by academics from IHE Delft as well as partner institutions. This year, the programme collaborated with three partners from the Global South – the Regional Centre for Integrated River Basin Management at National Water Resources Institute Kaduna in Nigeria, Water Research Centre at the University of Khartoum in Sudan, and the German-Kazakh University in Kazakhstan. All partners are keen to develop similar training programs in their regions.
While following ten interactive modules online, participants gathered at IHE Delft, the Netherlands, twice – on 12-14 April and 5-7 June, 2023 to meet in person for debates, a workshop on water diplomacy for water-secure world, a transboundary water negotiations roleplay and participation in the Annual IHE Water and Peace Seminar.
“What really stood out for me was the diverse participation. People coming from places where water diplomacy is a question of life and death. The layout of the programme is really well-done, there is great practical value to doing this course alongside work”, said Janne Leskinen, participant and Second Secretary in the Finnish Embassy in Ankara, Turkey.
Interactive sessions and growing network
With the backdrop of UN Water Conference 2023, this year a special session led by Henk Ovink, Special Envoy for Water, the Netherlands, was organised to reflect on the process and outcomes.
“Apart from the learning on content, the networking and experience exchange is one of the most valued aspects of this programme. Participants valued that they learn from each other as much as they learnt from the lecturers”, said Jenniver Sehring, co-organiser and Associate Professor of Water Governance and Diplomacy at IHE Delft.
“Access to information, expertise and a network is my biggest takeaway from this programme”, said Leskinen, noting that the programme really allows participants to learn how subject-matter experts zoom in and out between the details and the big pictures.
This program is partly funded by IHE Delft’s Water and Development Partnership Programme, supported by the Dutch Ministry of Foreign Affairs.
“Young people in diplomacy bring about new ideas, we are flexible and adaptive because of the rapidly changing times, yet I feel the youth are not engaged sufficiently, there’s still a lot of recycling of positions and power”
Collective action needed
Climate change and the multifaceted challenges it produces requires collective action and coordinated efforts from countries around the world. The art of diplomacy that encapsulates dialogue, understanding and compromise – is thus vital for achieving sustainable solutions. However, it is the youth who bear the brunt, inheriting a world profoundly shaped by environmental disruptions, but their inclusion does not always translate into meaningful engagement.
The programme tries to remedy this gap by strengthening the capacity of young career professionals interested in diplomacy. Details for applying to the 2024 cohort will be announced in September 2023, please follow our website for updates.