Michel Rittie

André Michel Rittie is a former Ambassador Extraordinaire and Plenipotentiary of Vanuatu.^[1][2] Ritte was formerly accredited as Ambassador to Morocco. He served as the official representative of Vanuatu with residence in Rabat.^[3][4]

As a small nation with a resident population of 186,678 in 1999,^[5] Vanuatu maintains a full embassy only in China and Morocco as well as a Permanent Mission to the United Nations and a Consulate in Nouméa, the capital city of the French territory of New Caledonia. When representation is required in other countries, an ambassador in a neighbouring country may be concurrently accredited to that country. As the only Vanuatu ambassador in the region, Ritte has also been accredited as a non-resident ambassador to Sweden, Switzerland, Spain and Tunisia, as well as having served as Ambassador to the Holy See.^[3]

Background

Until 2007, when France withdrew its claims for Matthew Island and Hunter Island east of New Caledonia, Vanuatu and France had disputed these small islands.^[6] A French national, Michel Rittie was originally nominated by the government of Vanuatu to serve as Vanuatu's consul in Paris, but the French government rejected his credentials. Although there was speculation in the news media, no official reason was given.^[7]

President John Bani of Vanuatu subsequently appointed Michel Rittie as consul-general to Morocco in March 2001. This accreditation was subsequently upgraded to Ambassador, with credentials accepted by King Mohammed VI on 26 September 2001.^[3]

Monsieur Rittie presented his credentials for the Holy See to Pope John Paul II in May 2003.^[8][9] John Paul II honoured the occasion with an address prepared for the occasion which acknowledged, "the rich historical patrimony of the Archipelago of Vanuatu and its special position in Oceania, factors that have shaped the nation and made it a multicultural society in which men and women today are eager to build a fraternal society in the vast diversity of their national origins, languages, forms of religious expression and the values that motivate them."^[10] Rittie continues to serve as a member of the diplomatic corps to the Holy See.^[11][12] On 15 April 2004 Rittie was one of eight ambassadors whose accreditation was accepted by then President Pascal Couchepin of Switzerland as nonresident ambassador (with residence in Rabat, Morocco).^[3][13][14] Rittie was accredited as ambassador to Spain on 29 June May 2005.^[15] Rittie has also presented his credentials to President Zine El Abidine Ben Ali of Tunisia and serves as Vanuatu's non-resident Ambassador there.^[3] Rittie has served as a member of delegations to UNESCO.^[16][17]

References

1. "Vanuatu: Le moment de vérité". Official website of the Republic of Vanuatu (in French). Retrieved 16 March 2009.
2. Michel RITTIE is mentioned as Ambassador Extraordinaire and Plenipotentiary on the opening page of the official Vanuatu website along with the current and the former presidents of the Republic, Messieurs Kalkot Mataskelekele and John Benett Bani. Diplomatic mission chiefs may be granted full (plenipotentiary) powers to represent their government in agreements with their host nation, signifying that representations made by them and agreements reached with them will be recognized by their government.
3. "Ambassade de la République du Vanuatu – S.E. Monsieur Michel RITTIE, Ambassadeur Extraordinaire et Plénipotentiaire de la République du Vanuatu". S.E. Monsieur Michel RITTIE, Ambassadeur Extraordinaire et Plénipotentiaire de la République du Vanuatu (in French). Retrieved 16 March 2009.
4. Martin Wolters. "Arabic language summary of Moroccan culture – includes list of current Embassies & Ambassadors in Arabic and English (scroll down several sections)" (in Arabic). Retrieved 16 March 2009.
5. "Official statistics for Vanuatu". Retrieved 16 March 2009.
6. . Archived from the original on 23 December 2010. Retrieved 17 March 2009.{{cite web}}: CS1 maint: bot: original URL status unknown (link)
7. "Vanuatu: "Controversial French national" appointed consul-general in Morocco". British Broadcasting Corporation – Worldwide Monitoring Copyright 2001. 15 March 2001. p. 8.
8. "ADDRESS OF JOHN PAUL II TO H.E. MR. MICHEL RITTIE, AMBASSADOR OF VANUATU". The Vatican. 15 May 2003. Retrieved 5 December 2008.
9. "12 noi ambasadori la Vatican, printre care şi primul al Moldovei 1 15.05.2003, Vatican (Catholica)". The Vatican (in Romanian). 15 May 2003. Retrieved 16 March 2009.
10. "ADDRESS OF JOHN PAUL II TO H.E. MR. MICHEL RITTIE, AMBASSADOR OF VANUATU". Vatican. 15 May 2003. Retrieved 16 March 2009.
11. Martin Wolters (15 May 2003). . von Martin Wolters (in German). Archived from the original on 25 January 2016. Retrieved 16 March 2009.
12. Matthew Bunson (2008). Catholic Almanac 2009. Our Sunday Visitor, Publishing Division. ISBN 978-1-59276-441-9.
13. "Consegna delle credenziali". Confœderatio Helvetica (i.e., the Swiss Confederation). 21 October 2003. Retrieved 16 April 2009.
14. "Remise des lettres de créance de huit ambassadeurs en Suisse" (Press release) (in French). Le département fédéral des affaires étrangères (DFAE), Berne. 15 April 2004.
15. "Presentación de Cartas Credenciales Palacio Real de Madrid, 29 de junio de 2005". Página oficial de la Casa de Su Majestad el Rey (in Spanish). 29 June 2005. Retrieved 16 March 2009.
16. "Member States /Etats members" (PDF). UNESCO Standing Delegations. Retrieved 16 March 2009.
17. . United Nations Educational, Scientific and Cultural Organization (UNESCO 1995–2006). 18 October 2006. Archived from the original on 7 July 2010. Retrieved 16 March 2009.