Ronald Sanders (diplomat)

Sir Ronald Sanders
KCN KCMG AM
Antiguan Barbudan Ambassador to the United States
Incumbent
Assumed office
September 17, 2015
Prime MinisterGaston Browne
Preceded byDeborah-Mae Lovell
Personal details
Born (1948-01-26) January 26, 1948 (age 76)
Guyana
EducationUniversity of Sussex (MA)

Sir Ronald Michael Sanders KCN KCMG AM[1][2] (born 26 January 1948)[3] is an Antiguan Barbudan diplomat, academic, former broadcast-journalist, and the current Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary to the United States and to the Organization of American States[4] (OAS) since 2015. He holds the unique distinction of being the first person, since the OAS enlarged its membership in 1962, to serve as Chairman of the Permanent Council of the OAS for an unprecedented three terms.[5][6] He completed his highly successful third term on December 31, 2023, having played a widely recognized role in guiding the work of the Permanent Council in the peaceful transition of government in Guatemala on 14 January 2024.[7][8]

He is also the non-resident High Commissioner to Canada since 2017.[9] He served twice as Antigua's High Commissioner to the United Kingdom (1983–1987, 1996–2004)[10] as well as ambassador to the World Trade Organization (WTO) (1997–2004).[4] He was a member and Rapporteur of the Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group (2010–2011)[11] that produced a seminal report entitled, "A Commonwealth of the People: Time for Urgent Reform", which laid out a plan of action to make the Commonwealth effective and relevant.[12] He was Antigua and Barbuda's nominee to be secretary general of the Commonwealth at the election held at the 2015 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting.[13] He is a senior research fellow (on leave) at the Institute of Commonwealth Studies, University of London, and a senior fellow (on leave) at Massey College at the University of Toronto.[14][15]

He is a speaker at conventions and conferences on global financial services issues and on Latin America and Caribbean states in the global political-economy and the Commonwealth.[16][17]

  1. ^ "Antigua's Sir Ronald Michael Sanders knighted by Queen". Jamaica Observer. 28 October 2002.
  2. ^ "Honorary Appointments within the Order of Australia" (PDF). Gg.gov.au. 2012. Archived from the original (PDF) on 24 September 2015. Retrieved 26 September 2015.
  3. ^ Sanders, Sir Ronald Michael. "Curriculum Vitae of Sir Ronald Michael Sanders KCMG, KCN, AM". Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  4. ^ a b "Biography". sirronaldsanders.com. Retrieved 21 September 2015.
  5. ^ "Antiguan diplomat assumes presidency of OAS Permanent Council | Loop Caribbean News". Loop News. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
  6. ^ OAS (2009-08-01). "OAS - Organization of American States: Democracy for peace, security, and development". www.oas.org. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
  7. ^ "From Crisis to Democracy: OAS shines in Guatemala's political transition - Caribbean News Global". 2024-01-18. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
  8. ^ OAS (2009-08-01). "OAS - Organization of American States: Democracy for peace, security, and development". www.oas.org. Retrieved 2024-01-20.
  9. ^ "PM Harris Calls On OECS Leaders To Unite On One Candidate For Commonwealth Secretary-General". Caribseek News. 24 November 2015. Retrieved 9 August 2018.
  10. ^ "Sir Ron returns | Antigua Observer Newspaper". antiguaobserver.com. Archived from the original on 2014-08-01.
  11. ^ "Eminent Persons Group". www.commonwealthofnations.org. Commonwealth Secretariat. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  12. ^ "Report of the Eminent Persons Group (EPG) to the Commonwealth Heads of Government: 'Time for Urgent Reform'" (PDF). www.iasociety.org. Retrieved 27 July 2016.
  13. ^ "Ronald Sanders re-named for Commonwealth Secretary General Post". www.Caribbean360.com. Caribbean360.com. Retrieved 26 July 2016.
  14. ^ "Senior Fellow Sir Ronald Sanders meets with Prime Minister Trudeau to present diplomatic credentials. – Massey College". Retrieved 2024-01-21.
  15. ^ "Sir Ronald Sanders". Institute of Commonwealth Studies. Retrieved 2024-01-21.
  16. ^ "VIDEO: Sir Ronald Sanders addresses SLHTA's Annual General Meeting (Speech to St Lucia Hotels and Tourist Association)". St. Lucia News Online. 29 May 2016.
  17. ^ "Feature Address to 35th Meeting of Caribbean Association of Accountants". Guyana Chronicle. 24 June 2017.