Two three-person teams comprising of DiploConsult members carried out two-week seminars for diplomats and other high-level state officials dealing with international matters (The President’s Office and the Ministries for Foreign Affairs, for Economy, for Fisheries and others) in Mauritius and Madagascar. In tailor-made courses, the consultants covered a broad range of topics, previously identified with the respective countries themselves. They addressed transnational questions that were of particular interest for the countries and covered inter alia

• the economic and foreign policy framework conditions of the countries
• cooperation with and within international organizations, regional cooperation, and the relations between Africa and the European Union
• promotion of trade and investment, “blue economy”
• human rights, good governance
• public international law, law of the sea
• public diplomacy, press work
• protocol, conference management, negotiating techniques
• role games, simulating multilateral negotiations

The seminars were organized in cooperation with the respective foreign ministries. The teaching script had been developed and written by DiploConsult itself. Some regional organizations such as the Indian Ocean Commission / IOC and the Indian Ocean Rim Association / IORA showed interest. The positive reception was due not only to the content of the seminar but was also a reaction to Germany demonstrating its commitment to civil society in the region.