About Sudan
Protocol
Protocol is a form of etiquette and is a way of showing respect and consideration for others. But its purpose goes beyond the social. In contrast to etiquette, protocol exists to guide the personal and business life of an official community. U.S. government personnel in our Embassies and Consulates form an official community sent abroad to do a job on behalf of our Government and the American public. We are not private citizens. We reside as official representatives of the United States in a culture foreign to our own. Our daily work involves contact with representatives of differing cultures and nationalities. Under these circumstances, the rule of protocol are rules of the road to help to avoid social accidents and bruised feelings. By smoothly ordering the life of an official community in a foreign culture, protocol helps to make the community more effective and efficient in accomplishing its mission.
The following suggestions are designed to meet the most frequently asked questions at all posts. They do not, by any means, attempt to answer the questions of protocol. The Protocol officer will also be happy to assist with specific questions - such as seating arrangements and the proper form of invitations for a formal dinner. These protocol guidelines apply to officials and families of all USG agencies in Sudan.
A. Courtesies to the Ambassador:
The Ambassador is the personal representative of the President of the United States in the Sudan. The Ambassador and spouse are due special courtesies.
Formality in address is still the rule in international protocol. The Ambassador should be addressed in conversation as “Mr. Ambassador” or “Ambassador..(Surname)”. The Ambassador’s spouse is addressed as “Mrs. ...(Surname)”. She should not be addressed by her first name, unless one has been asked to do so. Americans do not use the title “Excellency” when speaking to or about an Ambassador. Nor do they use such locutions as “Mrs. Ambassador” or “Madame Ambassador” when speaking to or about the Ambassador’s spouse.
When the Ambassador or spouse enters a room, all Americans present, both men and women, should rise. The Ambassador and spouse proceed others in entering or leaving rooms. (Foreign Ambassadors and high ranking Sudanese officials merit the same courtesy.)
At social functions attended by the Ambassador and spouse, members of the Embassy should find an opportunity to greet them as soon as convenient after greeting their host and hostess. It should never be necessary for the Ambassador or spouse to seek members of the Embassy staff. At dinner parties or other small affairs members of the Embassy should not depart before the Ambassador and spouse. In general guests do not depart before more senior officials have left - unless permission is requested. This guidance does not apply as strictly to large receptions and cocktail parties.
An invitation from the Ambassador generally takes precedence over other commitments, but if it would be embarrassing to cancel a conflicting previous engagement, the Ambassador should be consulted and permission to decline the invitation requested. Similar consideration should be given to invitations from the Deputy Chief of Mission. All invitations from the Ambassador and the Deputy Chief of Mission require on R.S.V.P. This should be done within two days of the receipt of an invitation.
In a chauffeur-driven car, the Ambassador sits on the right side of the back seat. On private or military flights, the Ambassador is the last person to board the plane and the first off.
The spouse of the Ambassador continues to receive the courtesies customarily due , even in the absence of The Ambassador from the country.
B. The Deputy Chief of Mission:
As the second ranking U.S. official in Sudan, the Deputy Chief of Mission serves as Charge’ d’Affaires ad interim during the absence of the Ambassador. Rules applicable to the Ambassador apply in general also to the Deputy Chief of Mission and especially when he is Charge’ d’Affaires. While serving in this latter capacity, the Charge’ and his spouse should be treated in the same manner as the Ambassador.
C. New arrivals and calling:
A newly arrived permanent member of the staff should be presented to the Ambassador in the first week after his arrival at Post. The same arrangement should be made for calling on the DCM. Either the Human Resources Officer or the new employee’s supervisor should introduce the new staff member during the first work day to all personnel in their offices, in the Chancery, AID and PDO (Public Diplomacy Office) buildings. Calls on appropriate officials at the Foreign Ministry and at other Ministries should also be made in the first weeks after arrival. A new officer should be guided in making official calls by the advice of his predecessor and his supervisor. Officers may wish to call on their counterparts at other Missions within two or three weeks after arriving at Post.
The Embassy will send third-person notes periodically to other embassies announcing the arrival of diplomatic officers. Calling cards, in addition, are a useful means of identification. An officer may properly present one to a new acquaintance or leave one behind when business calls are made.
D. Entertaining at the Ambassador’s Residence:
American Personnel should arrive ten minutes in advance of the stated time for receptions, luncheons or dinners at the Ambassador’s Residence where non-American guests will be present.
At such functions, official American personnel are deputy hosts and have a job to do. Without being officious, they should see to it that guests from outside the Embassy are entertained and looked after. Such representational functions are an occasion at which the responsibility to provide gracious hospitality for foreigners devolves upon all official American present.
Embassy personnel should usually remain until the last foreign guest has departed. At a large reception, however, they may be asked to leave earlier in order to speed the departure of guests who appear inclined to linger.
The Ambassador may ask other official Americans present to see that guests at a large reception are quickly met, introduced and offered refreshments. American personnel should arrive on time at functions when only American guests are to be present.
E. Entertaining in Sudan:
Personnel should consult the social calendar maintained by the Ambassador’s OMS (Office Manager Specialist) before issuing invitations to a function involving numerous or important guests. This is to make certain their invitations will not conflict ( as to guest lists, representational purpose, availability of houseboys, etc.) with something already planned by the Ambassador or others in the Embassy.
Personnel should provide the Ambassador or other Embassy guests with a copy of guest lists for representational functions to which the Ambassador or Embassy people are invited.
In general officers should entertain foreign colleagues and Sudanese officials of comparable rank, and not assume the social duties of more senior officers. By such a practice, the likelihood is reduced that certain Embassy contacts will be over exploited.
As in other countries, stag functions are useful and absolutely correct in Sudan. It is not expected, however, that the spouse of the host should appear at such functions because the spouses of other guests are not present.
F. Dress at Social Functions:
Invitations to social functions will usually indicate whether the dress is to be informal or casual. Informal means coat and tie, casual means sport shirt and slacks. Except for the Marine Corps Ball, dinners requiring either black or white dinner jacket and black bow tie are infrequent. Such dress is indicated, however, by the notation black Tie or Smoking at the bottom of the invitation card. At official receptions, officers customarily wear suits.
G. Local Customs and Courtesies:
When making calls upon a Sudanese official, one’s feet are best kept flat on the floor. It is permissible to cross one’s legs at the knee, but one must not sit cross-legged so that the sole of one’s foot is directed at a Sudanese present.
Handshakes should not be omitted on arriving or departing of a group. Use of the left hand for giving or receiving objects should be minimized.
It is good form for a host to accompany his visitor to the street or waiting car and to wait there until he leaves. One must be careful not to offer Sudanese Muslims any food containing pork. A safe rule is to serve no pork products at all or at least options to pork, when Muslim guests are invited.
Foreign Ambassadors and Sudanese Ministers are addressed in conversation as “Mr. Ambassador” or “Mr. Minister”, respectively or as “your Excellency”.
At seated dinner parties, foreign guests should be placed at the table in strict accordance with their rank. The place of honor should be reserved for a non-American, even if an American is present who ranks ahead of him. There is one exception to this general rule. If the American Ambassador is a guest, he would be your co-host and seated accordingly.
Sudan is a predominantly Muslim country, and in public it is better to be conservative even in one’s casual dress. That is, neither men nor women should wear shorts in public, likewise, sundress should not be worn in public, and dresses with short sleeves are preferable to sleeveless. This is especially important in places which are both public and traditional, such as Omdurman.
H. Invitations:
Printed invitations are often used for representational and private entertaining in Sudan. Invitations for private entertaining can, of course, be written on folded informal cards and can be worded informally.
For best results, written invitations should be followed up by a personal telephone call or - if at all possible - by a call in person.
Only an Ambassador, Charge’ D’affaires or Consul in charge of a Post should use a title on an invitation card. Only these officials may use cards bearing the Great Seal. Other officers should use only their full names on their invitation cards. (See “Social Usage in the Foreign Service” for further details on the wording of invitations, uses of titles and correct seating. A copy of this booklet can be seen in Human Resources Office, the Ambassador’s office or the CLO office.