High commissioner (Commonwealth)
In the Commonwealth of Nations, a high commissioner is the senior diplomat, generally ranking as an ambassador, in charge of the diplomatic mission of one Commonwealth government to another. Instead of an embassy, the diplomatic mission is generally called a high commission.[1]
History
In the
For example, when
A high commissioner could also be charged with the last phase of
Other usage
As diplomatic
In regions of particular importance, a commissioner-general was appointed to have control over several high commissioners and governors, e.g. the commissioner-general for South-East Asia had responsibility for Malaya, Singapore and British Borneo.[2]
The first high commissioner of India to London was appointed in 1920; he had no political role, but mostly dealt with the business interests of the 'Indian Federation'. The first agent of the Indian government was appointed to South Africa in 1927.[3]
Although not a dominion, the self-governing colony of Southern Rhodesia was represented in the United Kingdom by a high commission in London, while the United Kingdom similarly had a high commission in Salisbury. Following the Unilateral Declaration of Independence by the government of Ian Smith in 1965, the Rhodesian high commissioner, Andrew Skeen was expelled from London, while his British counterpart, Sir John Johnston, was withdrawn by the British government.[4]
Governors also acting as high commissioners
The role of
Historically, the
The British governor of the Crown colony of the Straits Settlements, based in Singapore, doubled as high commissioner of the Federated Malay States, and had authority over the resident-general in Kuala Lumpur, who in turn was responsible for the various residents appointed to the native rulers of the Malay states under British protection.
The
).The
Dominions
The first
New Zealand appointed a high commissioner in 1905, in place of a resident agent-general who had been appointed since 1871. Australia did the same in 1910, and South Africa in 1911.[7]
The British government continued not to appoint high commissioners to the Dominions, holding that the British government was already represented by the relevant governor-general or governor.[
The first high-ranking official envoy from one dominion to another was appointed by South Africa to Canada in 1938.
In 1973, the then Australian Prime Minister, Gough Whitlam, proposed that the title be replaced with that of ambassador, but other Commonwealth members in Asia, Africa and the Caribbean indicated a preference for keeping the separate title and status of high commissioner, and the matter was not pursued further.[9]
Current practice
The term is used across all 56 member states of the
A high commissioner from one Commonwealth state to another carries a simple and often informal letter of introduction from one
For historical reasons, high commissioners are also appointed even in the case of republics in the Commonwealth and indigenous monarchies (e.g. the kingdoms of Tonga, Eswatini, etc., who have monarchs other than the reigning British monarch) within the Commonwealth. In this case, letters of commission are usually issued by one head of state and presented to the other. However, some Commonwealth governments may choose to use the more informal method of issuing prime-ministerial letters of introduction, while other governments have opted instead for letters of credence.
Instead of embassies, the diplomatic missions of Commonwealth countries are called high commissions, although it is possible for a country to appoint a high commissioner without having a permanent mission in the other country: e.g. the British high commissioner in Suva, Fiji, is also accredited as high commissioner to Kiribati, Tuvalu and Tonga. Zimbabwe, as a Commonwealth country, traditionally had high commissioners in other Commonwealth countries. When it withdrew from the Commonwealth, it changed the style of its high commissions to embassies.
Outside the capital, practice is less standard. Subordinate commissioners or deputy high commissioners may be appointed instead of
Similarly, when Hong Kong was under
Despite the differences in terminology, Commonwealth high commissioners have, since 1948, enjoyed the same
See also
- List of ambassadors and high commissioners of Australia
- List of ambassadors and high commissioners of Canada
- List of ambassadors and high commissioners to India
- List of ambassadors and high commissioners to and from New Zealand
- List of ambassadors and high commissioners to the United Kingdom
- List of heads of missions of Tanzania
- Lord high commissioner
References
Citations
- ^ "Embassies - Commonwealth of Nations". commonwealthofnations.org. Retrieved 8 February 2023.
- ^ Archives, The National. "The Discovery Service". discovery.nationalarchives.gov.uk. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
- ISBN 90-04-15497-3, p. 131
- Daily Telegraph, 25 October 2005
- ^ Lansford, Tom (ed.). Political Handbook of the World 2014. p. 1531.
The British high commissioner to New Zealand serves as governor
- ISBN 9780773560123. Retrieved 18 March 2018 – via Google Books.
- ^ a b "What's in a name?" – The curious tale of the office of high commissioner, by Lorna Lloyd
- ISBN 90-04-15497-3, p. 58
- ISBN 90-04-15497-3, p. 261
- ^ "Embassies - Commonwealth of Nations". commonwealthofnations.org. Archived from the original on 19 March 2018. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
- ^ "President Ali accepts Letter of Credence from new UK High Commissioner – Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation| Co-operative Republic of Guyana".
- ^ "Overseas diplomatic missions" (PDF). svgconsulate.vc. Retrieved 6 March 2023.
- ^ "High Commissioner Omar met with the Foreign Secretary – High Commission of Maldives, Colombo".
- ^ Colonial Reports Report on Sarawak, Great Britain, Colonial Office 1961, page 7
- ^ Losing the Blanket: Australia and the End of Britain's Empire, David Goldsworthy Melbourne University Publish, 2002, page 28
- ^ External Affairs Review, Volume 6, New Zealand. Dept. of External Affairs 1956, page 41
- ^ Indian Coffee: Bulletin of the Indian Coffee Board, Volume 21, Coffee Board, 1957, page 202
- ^ Caribbean Studies, Volume 16, Institute of Caribbean Studies, University of Puerto Rico, 1977, page 22
- ^ The Establishment and Cultivation of Modern Standard Hindi in Mauritius, Lutchmee Parsad Ramyead, Mahatma Gandhi Institute, 1985, page 86
- ^ 2 China Dissidents Granted Asylum, Fly to Vancouver, Los Angeles Times, 17 September 1992
- Sydney Morning Herald, 18 August 1982
- New Zealand Herald, 27 March 2006
- ^ Indians in Limbo as 1997 Hand-over Date Draws Nearer, Inter Press Service, 12 February 1996
- ^ Officials puzzled by Malaysian decision, New Straits Times, 3 July 1984
- ^ Singapore Lure Stirs Crowds In Hong Kong, Chicago Tribune, 12 July 1989
- ^ In the swing of things Archived 23 October 2015 at the Wayback Machine, Embassy Magazine, September 2010
- ^ "The Canadian Commission to Bermuda". international.gc.ca. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
- ^ "Canada's One-Time Bermuda Diplomat Dies - Bernews". bernews.com. 23 November 2011. Retrieved 18 March 2018.
- ^ Embassies and consulates - Bermuda
Sources
- History of the title High Commissioner – "What's in a name?" – The curious tale of the office of High Commissioner, by Lorna Lloyd.
- WorldStatesmen click on the present countries mentioned
- The Commonwealth – UK government site.
- The Post of High Commissioner, The Monarchist, THURSDAY, 22 May 2008.