DAY2 THEME: Practising Science Diplomacy: Communication, Negotiation and Collaboration

Day 2 of the EARW Science Diplomacy Leadership Programme moved participants from concepts to practice, with sessions on communication, negotiation and a full-day simulation.

Communicating for policy. The morning session covered how to frame evidence, communicate uncertainty and write for policy audiences. Each participant drafted a short policy message from their own work. This matters because sub-Saharan Africa holds only about 0.7% of the world's researchers, so its evidence has to count.

Negotiation. The next session introduced interests versus positions, stakeholder engagement and consensus building, followed by a facilitated multi-stakeholder scenario. The stakes are visible in shared water: only 43 of 153 countries sharing transboundary waters have operational arrangements covering 90% or more of them.

The simulation. The afternoon flagship exercise had participants play rival stakeholders negotiating a regional challenge. It covered evidence-informed decision-making, competing national and institutional interests, partnership models and South–South cooperation.