Multiple Accreditation

Subject(s):

Diplomatic immunity — Diplomatic missions — Diplomatic relations

This chapter examines Articles 5 and 6 of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations which deal with multiple accreditation to foreign states by a diplomatic mission. Article 5 allows a sending State to accredit a head of mission or assign any member of the diplomatic staff to more than one receiving State, unless there is express objection by any of the receiving States. If there are none, then the sending State may establish diplomatic mission headed by a chargé d’affaires ad interim, a member of the mission who leads in the place of the head. Article 6 complements this by allowing two or more receiving States to accredit the same person as head of mission to another state, unless there is objection. Since 1961, there has been an increase of States using this practice due to the emergence of new sovereign States.