CAPACITY DEVELOPMENT WORKSHOP FOR THE CITY OF BULAWAYO MANAGEMENT AND STAFF
Almost 55% of the World’s population currently lives in urban settlements. It is predicted that by 2030 more than 60% of people globally and one in every three people will live in cities with at least half a million inhabitants. To strategize and prepare for this evolving and spiralling urbanization demand, the Bulawayo City Council Management Team and Staff underwent Training in Advanced Diplomacy, Protocol and Etiquette at the Holiday Inn Hotel, Bulawayo, from 25-27 October 2017.
The purpose of the Training was to empower council officials with effective communicative skills necessary to network with public and corporate clients; Government Departments and the related Ministries; Local and International Cities; ability to negotiate with development partners with tact and diplomacy; develop confidence and communicative competences for the marketing and public image of Bulawayo; develop the marketable and progressive image of the City of Bulawayo; endow staff with skills for exquisite residents customer service; build appropriate professional and specialised demeanours, codes of conduct and behaviours demanded by business etiquette and effective presentation skills.
The Training was also timely to enhance the City of Bulawayo’s capacity to deliver on the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) which include inter-alia making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable, provide safe water, sanitation and solid waste management as well as climate awareness on reducing emissions and increase resilience to environmental shocks through environmental diplomacy. The targeted and tailor-made Training also embraced sharing awareness on how the City of Bulawayo could harness both Domestic, International Community and the UN Family developmental support through Advanced Diplomacy, Environmental Diplomacy, Diplomatic and Corporate Protocol and appropropriate Domestic and International Business etiquette.
The Training came head on the heels after the same course was rolled for the City of Bulawayo Councilors. His Worship Martin K. Moyo, the Mayor of Bulawayo participated actively in the the three-day programme at the Matopo Hills Hotel from 23-25 August 2017. Due to the appealing niche of the Training they might be a need to cascade the Training to the rest of the Council to cement coherence in delivering the Mission to make Bulawayo the industrial and Communication rendezvous for SADC.
These Training Workshops on Advanced Diplomacy, Protocol and Etiquette are geared to equip local authorities, government parastatals, international organizations and private players with skills to enhance effective functioning and service delivery.