Serbia has 100 honorary consuls in as many as 70 countries across all continents. These are individuals from the worlds of business, politics, law, or the arts who, through their personal reputation, represent the interests of the state and its citizens.

They live from São Paulo to Seoul, from Cairo to Kabul. They carry Serbia in their hearts and work hard for the benefit of our country and all of its citizens abroad. Even though they are not career diplomats, their contribution to the reputation of Serbia and the promotion of its economic and cultural values has many benefits because they are akin to goodwill ambassadors and dedicated builders of bridges among nations.
Honorary consuls are an inconspicuous but precious segment of the diplomatic network. They quietly and unimposingly perform daily tasks for the benefit of a country and its citizens. As their name suggests, they are not professionals, but perform their mission voluntarily, based on the honour they were shown, reminiscent of Roman praetors and aediles. Honorary consuls are reputable individuals, mostly businesspeople, lawyers, artists or academics, carefully selected to contribute to Serbia’s interests in their respective countries with their reputation, standing and familiarity with the local community.
The Ministry of Foreign Affairs highlights the exceptional role that honorary consuls play in representing Serbia abroad and proudly state that currently our country has the highest number of honorary consulates in history – a hundred in total – perfectly complementing the diplomatic network that consists of standing missions, embassies and consulates.

‘They provide a priceless contribution to the implementation of Serbia’s foreign policy priorities, particularly regarding the preservation of territorial integrity and sovereignty, improving relations with neighbours and regional cooperation and contributing to an overall development of bilateral relations with the most important stakeholders in international politics and many traditional friends across the globe”, they say in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and stress that their work in establishing economic cooperation is of vital importance.

Many of our honorary consuls come from the world of business and, having in mind their professional experience and contacts, they play a significant role in promoting the economic potentials of the Serbian economy and market and in attracting foreign investment to Serbia.

‘Engaging honorary consuls contributes to the presentation of our country in the countries where they live and work as a modern, multi-cultural, tolerant country that is open to the strengthening of the existing and creating of new friendships and partnerships’, they say in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs.

Институција почасних конзула у Србији има богату традицију. Краљевина Србија је прве почасне конзуле именовала још пре Првог светског рата у важним европским градовима – Бриселу, Лијежу и у Женеви. Након 1918. институција почасних конзула и њихова мрежа почиње нагло да се шири. Тако је Краљевина Југославија, 1931. године, имала укупно 91 почасног конзула, а од тога броја 62 била су у Европи.

The title of honorary consul has been awarded to many renowned persons of Serbian origin throughout history. However, the most agile and effective in performing his diplomatic mission was our scientist Mihajlo Pupin. As a scientist, inventor and professor, Pupin was highly respected in the US and he also maintained strong ties with European countries. As a Serbian patriot, he played an important role during the Great War and at the Paris Peace Conference. He was one of the founders of Serbian-American relations and a person who made national efforts an integral part of his life’s endeavours.