Diplomatic Corps - Dean of The Diplomatic Corps

Dean of The Diplomatic Corps

In some countries, the longest-serving ambassador to a country is given the title Dean, or Doyen, of the Diplomatic Corps and is sometimes accorded a high position in the order of precedence. In New Zealand, for example, the dean takes precedence over figures such as the deputy prime minister, former governors-general, and the chief justice. The diplomatic corps may also cooperate amongst itself on a number of matters, including certain dealings with the host government.

Article 4 of the protocol of June 9, 1815, of the Congress of Vienna provided that the apostolic nuncio (often referred to as the papal nuncio) would be dean of the diplomatic corps in the country of appointment. In many countries that have Roman Catholicism as the official or main religion, the nuncio still holds the decanate and is the corps' spokesman on formal occasions. The nuncio to the Philippines still holds this rank out of custom despite the predominantly Catholic country having no official religion. In other cases, the nuncio is treated as the ambassador of the Holy See and has no special precedence.

In practical terms, the Dean of the Diplomatic Corps may have a role to play in negotiating with local authorities regarding the application of aspects of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations and diplomatic immunity, such as the payment of certain fees or taxes, since the receiving country is required "not to discriminate between states". In this sense, the dean has the role of representing the entire diplomatic corps for matters that affect the corps as a whole, although this function is rarely formalized.