Ambassador-at-large

An ambassador-at-large is either a diplomat, a secretary or a minister of the highest rank who is accredited to represent his or her country and their people internationally.

Unlike an ambassador-in-residence who is usually limited to a country or embassy, the ambassador-at-large is entrusted to operate in several usually neighboring countries, a region or sometimes hold a seat in an international organization like the United Nations and the European Union. In some cases an ambassador-at-large may even be specifically assigned a role to advise and assist the state or a government in particular issues. Historically, presidents or prime ministers have designated special diplomatic envoys for specific assignments, primarily overseas but sometimes also within the country as an ambassador-at-large.

Honorific title

According to international protocol, ambassadors and ambassadors-at-large are officially styled and addressed as His/Her Excellency, or Mister/Madam Ambassador. The title may be abbreviated in official correspondence as H.E.[1]

United States ambassadors-at-large

The US President appointed the first official specifically to bear the title of ambassador-at-large on 12 March 1949, under the authority vested in Article II, Section 2 of the U.S Constitution to deal with specific foreign policy issues which have been frequently, but not always, spelled out in their commissions.

Ambassador-at-Large positions in the diplomatic corps of the US State Department include:

• Coordinator for Counterterrorism
• Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues
• United States Global AIDS Coordinator
• Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom
• Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice
• Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons

Notable ambassadors-at-large

• Mehdi Samii, Iranian ambassador-at-large for Economic affairs and Advisor to the Prime Minister for International Financing (1971–1973)[2]
• Charles Aznavour, Franco-Armenian singer, French Ambassador-at-Large to Armenia
• Princess Masna Bolkiah, Brunei's Ambassador-at-Large and Minister of Foreign Affairs and Trade
• Barbara Carrera, former Ambassador-at-large for Nicaragua, appointed by then-president Arnoldo Alemán
• Nicolas Kazadi, Ambassador-at-Large for the Democratic Republic of the Congo
• Chan Heng Chee, Ambassador-at-Large representing Singapore and former ambassador to the United States from 1996 to 2012[3]
• Suzan Johnson Cook, former United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom
• Henry A. Crumpton, Coordinator for Counterterrorism at the Department of State[4]
• Ahmet Davutoğlu, Formerly Ambassador-at-Large of Turkey; he subsequently served as Foreign Minister and Prime Minister.
• Eric Goosby, United States Global AIDS Coordinator (Ambassador-at-Large for HIV and AIDS)[5]
• León María Guerrero III, Undersecretary for Foreign Affairs under Ramon Magsaysay (1953–1954) and Ambassador-at-Large under four Philippine Presidents: Ramon Magsaysay (1954–1957), Carlos P. Garcia (1957–1961), Diosdado Macapagal (1961–1965) and Ferdinand E. Marcos (1965–1980)
• Georg von Habsburg, Ambassador-at-Large of Hungary[6]
• John Hanford, former United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom
• Philip Jessup, United States Ambassador-at-large under President Harry S. Truman
• Tommy Koh, Ambassador-at-Large of Singapore
• Stavros Lambrinidis, Ambassador-at-Large of Hellenic Republic, Vice President of the European Parliament and Minister for Foreign Affairs of Greece
• Gene Loh, Ambassador-at-Large of the Republic of China (Taiwan) from 1997 to 2001[7]
• Javed Malik, Pakistan's Ambassador-at-Large to the Gulf Region
• Amina Mohammed, Ambasador-at-large representing Kenya
• Lineo Ntoane, Kingdom of Lesotho Ambassador-at-large
• Dame Nuala O'Loan, of Ireland. Roving Ambassador for Conflict Resolution and Special Envoy to Timor-Leste[8]
• Ong Keng Yong, Ambassador-at-Large at the Ministry of Affairs, Singapore and former Secretary-General of Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN)
• Gopinath Pillai, Ambassador-at-Large of Singapore[9]
• Oscar de la Renta, Ambassador-at-Large of the Dominican Republic[10]
• Carlos P. Romulo, President of the United Nations General Assembly (1949–1950), Secretary/Minister of Foreign Affairs and Ambassador-at-Large under three Philippine Presidents: Elpidio Quirino (1950–1952), Diosdado Macapagal (1963–1964) and Ferdinand Marcos (1968–1984)
• Petri Salo, Finland's Roving Ambassador for the South Caucasus (Armenia, Azerbaijan and Georgia)[11]
• Strobe Talbott, US Ambassador-at-Large and Special Advisor to the Secretary on the New Independent States[12]

See also

• Dual accreditation

References

1. The Guide of the Modern Diplomatic Protocol
2. Milani, Abbas (2008). Eminent Persians: The Men and Women who Made Modern Iran, 1941-1979. 1. Syracuse, N.Y.: Syracuse University Press. pp. 766–767. ISBN 0815609078.
3. https://lkycic.sutd.edu.sg/people/centre-leadership/chan-heng-chee
4. "Biography: Henry A. Crumpton". US Department of State Archives. 3 August 2005. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
5. "Goosby, Eric". State. 23 June 2009. Archived from the original on 15 July 2009. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
6. "The Habsburgs' new empire: The princess and the bear". The Economist. 20 February 2010. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
7. Chu, Monique (18 April 2002). "Veteran diplomat tells it like it was". Taipei Times. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
8. "New Roving Ambassador Nuala O' Loan to Travel to Timor". Irish embassy. 10 March 2008. Archived from the original on 16 February 2012. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
9. "Live Mint". Live Mint. 21 November 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
10. Mower, Sarah (2002). Oscar: The Style, Inspiration and Life of Oscar De La Renta. New York: Assouline. p. 12.
11. "Roving Ambassador for South Caucasus –". Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. 18 October 2012. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
12. "Strobe Talbott: Richard von Weizsäcker Distinguished Visitor – Class of Spring 2009". American Academy in Berlin. Archived from the original on 2 April 2015. Retrieved 20 March 2015.