In 2017, the Parliamentary Diplomacy Training Programme was established following a direct request from the Secretary General of the Senate of Cambodia. The programme aims to support parliamentary staff and strengthen parliamentary diplomacy.  Initially directed at parliamentary staff in Cambodia under the guise of the Parliamentary Institute of Cambodia, in 2019 the programme was expanded to include parliamentary staff from across Southeast Asia, namely Cambodia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar, Thailand, the Philippines and Viet Nam. To reflect these changes, it was renamed the Regional Parliamentary Diplomacy Programme and is now under the coordination of the Parliamentary Centre of Asia.

Since the programme’s inception, the Foundation has developed and implemented the international law component of the Programme following its long-standing engagement with the Parliament of Cambodia. Addressed in a blended learning format, the training aims to strengthen the participant’s knowledge of international law, specifically within the context of their daily work and advance their professional skills essential for their engagement in  relevant international fora. Firstly, participants are introduced to international law in context and then specifically resolution-drafting, through theory and practical exercises.

The Regional Parliamentary Diplomacy Programme continues to take place on an annual basis and the Foundation remains in full support of the international law sessions.

1 August 2017 – 2021