Supriya Ghosh (Editor)

Sherpa (emissary)

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A sherpa is the personal representative of a head of state or government who prepares an international summit, particularly the annual G8 Summit. Between the G8 summits there are multiple sherpa conferences where possible agreements are laid out. This reduces the amount of time and resources required at the negotiations of the heads of state at the final summit. The name sherpa—without further context—refers to sherpas for the G8 summit but the designation can be spread for different regular conferences where the participation of the respective head of state is required. The sherpa is generally quite influential, although they generally lack the authority to independently make the final decision about any given agreement.

Contents

The name is derived from the Sherpa people, a Nepalese ethnic group, who serve as guides and porters in the Himalayas, a reference to the fact that the sherpa clears the way for a head of state at a major summit. The name was originally of informal usage in between the states of the European Union where personal representatives prepare work for the Intergovernmental Conference (IGC) meetings. While the position of a chief negotiator can be traced back under varying names to the first days of the European Union process the name has caught on as an official reference just lately on the designation of a high-profile group on competition regulation in the European chemistry that names officially a "Sherpa-Subgroup".

Examples

  • In France, Paul Jean-Ortiz fr is a G8 sherpa. Previous French sherpas include Jacques Attali, Anne Lauvergeon, Jean-Marc de La Sablière, Maurice Gourdault-Montagne, Jean-David Levitte; Pascal Lamy was a sherpa on the European Commission (representing Jacques Delors).
  • In Germany, the canonic name of Chefunterhändler (chief negotiator) is a common second title to another high-profile position. The Bernd Pfaffenbach did hold this position since 2004 being also secretary of state in the Ministry of Economics (since 2005). The title was held before by Horst Köhler (former President of Germany) and Hans Tietmeyer (became later the President of the Deutsche Bundesbank). Since December 2009 the position of G8-Sherpa is held by Jens Weidmann who has been sherpa to the G20 summits before.
  • In Italy, Giampiero Massolo is Sherpa for the G8 since 1 April 2008
  • Sherpa pre-summit

    During the preliminary preparatory process which takes place in advance of a G8 summit, the leader of a G8 host nation conventionally invites representatives from the other G8 participants to send representatives known as "sherpas" to develop the agenda topics and other matters. They often produce communiques which show the current state of negotiations.

    Apart from conferences of the sherpas of the head of state there are additional conferences held in specific domains that are routinely attended by other state secretaries in the government—most of the G8 countries have national sherpa teams in the field of foreign affairs (Foreign Affairs Sous-Sherpa) and finance (Finance Sous-Sherpa).

    References

    Sherpa (emissary) Wikipedia