An ambassador-at-large is a diplomat, a secretary, or a minister of the highest rank who is accredited to represent a country and its 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 who specifically bore the title of ambassador-at-large on 12 March 1949 under the authority vested in Article II, Section 2 of the US Constitution to deal with specific foreign policy issues, which have been frequently spelled out in their commissions.
Ambassador-at-Large positions in the diplomatic corps of the US State Department include:
Coordinator for Counterterrorism
United States Ambassador-at-Large for Global Criminal Justice
United States Ambassador-at-Large for Global Women's Issues
United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom
United States Ambassador-at-Large to Monitor and Combat Trafficking in Persons
United States Global AIDS Coordinator
Notable ambassadors-at-large
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
Chan Heng Chee, Ambassador-at-Large representing Singapore and former ambassador to the United States from 1996 to 2012[2]
Suzan Johnson Cook, former United States Ambassador-at-Large for International Religious Freedom
Henry A. Crumpton, Coordinator for Counterterrorism at the Department of State[3]
Ahmet Davutoğlu, Formerly Ambassador-at-Large of Turkey; he subsequently served as Foreign Minister and Prime Minister.
Oscar de la Renta, Ambassador-at-Large of the Dominican Republic[4]
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
Nicolas Kazadi, Ambassador-at-Large for the Democratic Republic of the Congo
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, Ambassador-at-large representing Kenya
Lon Non, Ambassador-at-Large for the Khmer Republic
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)
Jaroslaw Pijarowski, Ambassador-at-Large of International Human Rights Organization for Poland[9]
Gopinath Pillai, Ambassador-at-Large of Singapore[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]
Mehdi Samii, Iranian ambassador-at-large for Economic affairs and Advisor to the Prime Minister for International Financing (1971–1973)[12]
Strobe Talbott, US Ambassador-at-Large and Special Advisor to the Secretary on the New Independent States[13]
Dual accreditation
^ The Guide of the Modern Diplomatic Protocol
^ "CHAN Heng Chee". 9 October 2015.
^ "Biography: Henry A. Crumpton". US Department of State Archives. 3 August 2005. Retrieved 3 March 2019.
^ Mower, Sarah (2002). Oscar: The Style, Inspiration and Life of Oscar De La Renta. New York: Assouline. p. 12.
^ "Goosby, Eric". State. 23 June 2009. Archived from the original on 15 July 2009. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
^ "The Habsburgs' new empire: The princess and the bear". The Economist. 20 February 2010. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
^ Chu, Monique (18 April 2002). "Veteran diplomat tells it like it was". Taipei Times. Retrieved 27 October 2012.
^ "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.
^ "International Human Rights Organization". yt.com. 18 November 2020. Archived from the original on 13 December 2021. Retrieved 18 November 2020.
^ "Live Mint". Live Mint. 21 November 2013. Retrieved 12 December 2014.
^ "Roving Ambassador for South Caucasus –". Ministry for Foreign Affairs of Finland. 18 October 2012. Retrieved 8 January 2013.
^ 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 978-0815609070.
^ "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.
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