Namibia's US Ambassador Patrick Nandago, who is based in Washington D.C., announced that Peter Romary had been appointed as Honorary Consul for Namibia to North Carolina.

Romary was commissioned by Marco Hausiku, Namibia's Minister of Foreign Affairs, on the instruction of President Hifikepunye Pohamba.

Romary was credentialed by the US State Department on December 12.

An Honorary Consul is a citizen of one country who has certain official diplomatic privileges and responsibilities to act as a representative for a foreign country, as provided for in the Vienna Convention on Consular Relations of 1963.

In the US, the person has to be accredited by the US State Department.

Romary's main role will be to promote and facilitate trade, investment, tourism, educational and cultural exchanges between North Carolina and Namibia.

Romary, an attorney, is licenced to practice law in North Carolina, the District of Columbia and before the US Supreme Court, as well as being a Certified Arbitrator and Mediator.

He holds both British and American law degrees.

Originally from the UK, Romary is a naturalised US citizen.

Romary concentrates in civil and criminal litigation, alternative dispute resolution and risk management.

Since 1996, he has committed himself to representing, pro bono, more than 100 women and children victims of domestic violence per year.

In 2004, Romary received the Ellis Island Medal of Honour (the highest civilian honour sanctioned by both the US House and the Senate that is awarded solely to US citizens).

In the same year he also received a Knighthood that was "apostolically blessed" by the late Pope John Paul, II.

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