International Focus Magazine Premiere Edition | Page 8

The Diplomats Among Us:
Consular Corps 101
By Deanea LeFlore
Did you know that about 90 countries have
official representation in Houston through
consulates? This number is often touted as an
example of the international nature of our city
and rightfully so. But what does it really mean
and what advantages and opportunities does
Houston have as a result?

the southern United States, or an even larger district in
some cases. Having a Houston-based corps of consular
officials working to develop ties between the countries
they represent and this region results in numerous benefits for Houstonians ranging from increased opportunities for international trade and collaboration to opportunities to access wide-ranging cultural programs.

Who are consular officials?

How does the work of consular officials
benefit the Houston area?

Consular officials are appointed by foreign governments
to officially represent that country’s interests abroad.
Consular officials fall into two categories: career or honorary (also called non-career). Career consular officials are
members of a nation’s foreign or consular service and are
appointed by their government to reside abroad. Honorary consular officials are citizens of the United States or
permanent residents who represent a foreign government
on a part-time basis.While only on a part-time basis, they
perform essential functions and many that are similar to
that of a career consul. However, they are not employees
of the foreign government and do not receive a salary.

What do consular officials do?
The primary responsibilities of consular officials are to
develop ties between the countries they represent and
this area and to safeguard the represented countries’ interests and the citizens from these countries residing in or
traveling through their districts. Consuls based in Houston may have a district that includes the state of Texas,
8 iF Magazine | July 2016

Consular officials seek to develop economic, commercial, cultural and scientific relations between this area
and the countries they represent. This translates into
bilateral trade missions that can bring increased business
to our area. In fact, it is estimated that more than onethird of jobs in Houston are directly or indirectly linked
to international trade. Consuls also facilitate interactions
between the scientific community and educational institutions in our area and those abroad, leading to new
programs and collaborations. With regard to cultural
relations, consuls have assisted in bringing countless
exhibitions to Houston-area museums, as well as performances, and culinary experiences to our city. These
officials regularly work with the Houston mayor’s office,
bilateral chambers of commerce, universities, performing arts organizations, sister city associations, cultural
organizations, and many others to create programming
that promotes friendly relations and understanding of
countries around the world.