charge d'affaires

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charge d'affaires

The charge d'affaires reviews documents at the embassy desk.

Definition

Noun: 1. A diplomat who temporarily leads a diplomatic mission in the absence of the ambassador. A charge d'affaires is the official who assumes the duties and responsibilities of the head of a diplomatic mission, such as an embassy, when the ambassador is away, has left the post, or has not yet been appointed.

Usage
  • The term is used in formal diplomatic contexts to designate the acting head of mission.
  • It is often part of the official title "Charge d'Affaires ad interim" or "Charge d'Affaires a.i.", meaning "in the meantime" or "temporarily."
  • It can also refer to the head of a diplomatic mission of lower rank than an embassy, such as a legation.
Examples
  • Noun:
    • With the ambassador recalled for consultations, the charge d'affaires will handle the day-to-day operations of the embassy.
    • The meeting was attended by the Charge d'Affaires ad interim of the French mission.
    • He served as charge d'affaires at the legation for over a year before a new ambassador was accredited.
Advanced Usage
  • "Charge d'Affaires ad interim (a.i.)": This is the full formal title for a diplomat temporarily in charge. The "ad interim" specifies the temporary nature of the assignment.
  • "Charge d'Affaires en pied" or "Charge d'Affaires with permanent character": A less common rank, this refers to a diplomat who is the permanent head of a mission to a country where for various reasons no ambassador is exchanged. This is a mission of lower rank than an embassy.
Variants and Related Words
  • Diplomat (n): A person appointed by a state to conduct diplomacy with another state or international organization.
  • Ambassador (n): The highest-ranking diplomat who is the official representative of their head of state in another country.
  • Envoy (n): A diplomatic agent, generally of a rank below an ambassador.
Synonyms
  • Acting ambassador
  • Interim head of mission
  • Diplomatic stand-in
Notes on Usage
  • The term is originally French and is often used in its original form in English diplomatic language. The plural is charges d'affaires.
  • It is sometimes abbreviated in writing as C.D. or Cda.
charge d'affaires

The charge d'affaires reviews documents at the embassy desk.

Noun
  1. the official temporarily in charge of a diplomatic mission in the absence of the ambassador