World Assembly HQ – Sanctarian Ambassador to the World Assembly, Dr. Bethany Greer, is to end her term as the nation’s representative in the international legislative body at the end of this month, her office confirmed today. Dr. Greer has served as the nation’s top diplomat in the body since January 2022, and also served over 2.5 years as the nation’s Deputy Ambassador there too prior to that appointment.
The reasons for Dr. Greer’s departure are not yet immediately clear. Sources in the Sanctarian Department for Foreign Affairs have indicated she was offered the nation’s nomination for Secretary-General of the Consortium of Independent Nations last month, but declined; such a proposed appointment suggests the reason for leaving is not dissatisfaction with her performance by the current Sanctarian government. Should Dr. Greer leave office as planned on October 31st, she will have served the shortest term of any of the permanent Ambassadors to the international body since the post was created in 2011 after the abolition of the dedicated junior ministry.
Dr. Greer did not pioneer any legislation while Ambassador, instead deciding to prioritise negotiations during drafting by other national delegations. She was a strong proponent of leveraging Sanctarian soft power in the halls of the General Assembly, and final pieces of legislation passed by the body often had her influence and suggestions evident throughout. It is believed her foreign policy objectives aligned well with Chancellor Ethan Ringrose’s government, and she had a good working relationship with Foreign Secretary Kathryn Stewart.
Some backbench MPs in the Sanctarian House of Deputies have posited that Greer could perhaps be returning to Sanctaria for another posting outside of diplomatic spheres, pointing to the fact her predecessors in the role were all given, or sought, senior domestic roles; Dr. Christian Ferguson, now Secretary-General of the Consortium, was appointed as Ombudsman, Dr. Nicholas Carson became Director-General of the Department of Homeland Security, and her immediate predecessor Dr. Katherine Saunders left office to run for, and win, the office of President of Sanctaria.
What domestic office could be open, and of interest, to Dr. Greer if that line of thinking is true is unclear. Though the Ombudsman office is currently vacant following Dr. Ferguson’s recent departure, it is not believed that Greer who generally avoids conflict where she can would seek a confrontational role. Some have suggested she could be returning to prepare for a potential appointment as Director of the Sanctarian Intelligence Service, succeeding Alexandra Maye whose second five-year-term ends in February; Maye has already indicated she would like to retire at the end of her term. Greer’s experience, interactions, and negotiations with representatives of foreign nations throughout her diplomatic career would certainly be considered advantageous for the role, and it would play to her strength of backroom negotiations, out of the limelight. Other commentators suggest if that were the case, however, she would not be leaving the role this early, and would likely instead have a more seamless transition from World Assembly to SIS.
In her statement posted this afternoon, Greer said she was “very grateful” for the opportunities both the Ringrose and previous governments gave her throughout her diplomatic career and that she would “most certainly miss” her time spent in the halls of the World Assembly. Her statement made no indication of future plans, and her office is not returning comment to questions from reporters on such. Responding, a representative from the Sanctarian government thanked her for her service, and said the government would be nominating a replacement “in due course”.
ZACHARY de MORAES, World Assembly Correspondent
