Climate negotiator workshop: Xaysomphone Souvannavong
Channel: IIED
Date: 2017-11-13

Before the 23rd Conference of the Parties (COP23) in Bonn, Germany, new climate negotiator Xaysomphone Souvannavong, of the Lao People's Democratic Republic, attended a training workshop.

The workshop participants included new negotiators and officials from more than 25 countries. They were briefed by leading climate negotiators and ambassadors, as well as legal advisors. 

Souvannavong said: "The interesting part of this workshop, beside the political themes and content, was the tips for negotiation: how to read the language and how to negotiate using effective language. This was particularly helpful because I'm not a native English speaker and it's difficult to listen and talk in English."

The workshop was organised as part of the European Capacity Building Initiative (ecbi), a joint programme designed to develop skills and capacity among developing country negotiators and to foster trust between different negotiating groups. The ecbi training and support programme is managed by the International Institute for Environment and Development and Oxford Climate Policy.

More details: https://www.iied.org/negotiators-developing-countries-get-skills-boost-ahead-un-climate-talks