YEP Water deelnemer Sandra van Soelen met haar visie op de ambassade van de toekomst

1. Way forward for the Dutch embassies
Sandra van Soelen
17-06-2013

2. Introduction
My name is Sandra van Soelen
Working for SNV Kenya
Participant of YEP-1
The project I am working on:
Professionalisation of rural water project
Public-Private Community Partnerships
Looking for market solution in the water sector
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3. Need for embassies
Kenya currently under security threat, most recently
the Mpeketoni attack
Need for correct and on-time information.
Currently email and SMS used by the embassy
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http://nos.nl/artikel/662245-
weer-bloedbad-alshabaab-in-
kenia.html

4. Changing world
More and different use of social media:
Twitter and Facebook are more and more used for
distributing Embassy work.
However, Kompas system of the Embassies is not
flawless….
More cooperation between European countries? E.g.
do we need an embassy for Belgium, Luxemburg and
the Netherlands in Kenya or can we change into a
Benelux embassy.
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5. Changing world
From aid to trade: new way of providing development
aid.
This new approach has an influence on the embassies
Embassies should be more focused on providing trade
assistance!
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6. Buildings
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Are these buildings needed to
fulfil the work?
Right examples of the
embassies in Nairobi and
Addis Ababa
Recent development: embassy
in London changed from
building.
The embassy buildings should
not be to extravagant.

7. Embassy of the future
The embassy should be a place you can easily approach
as a Dutch(wo)men and can help you in finding your
way in the Kenyan society. Also for Kenyans, the
embassy should be approachable to make links with
the Dutch trade market and businesses.
Services: networking and information sharing
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8. Networking!
Informative website to link people with each other.
Innovative usage of social media
Creator of networks: e.g. network of Dutch farmers in
Kenya, network of Dutch Ngo workers in Kenya,
network of Dutch business people in Kenya.
Every embassy should have a social media expert!
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9. Golden YEP tip
Core business of an embassy!
Inform the Dutch citizen abroad about security issues
and other relevant businesses, connect the Dutch
society with the local society and cooperate with
different parties.
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Inform CooperateConnect

10. For questions: sandravansoelen@gmail.com
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