Glossary

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Hage Geingob -  Hage Geingob (b. 1941). Namibian politician and a member of the SWAPO party, and current Prime Minister (since 2012). He was Namibia’s first Prime Minister following independence, 1990-2002.
Hallstein Doctrine -  The Hallstein Doctrine was a foreign policy approach in the Federal Republic of Germany (West Germany) elaborated by the German diplomat Walter Hallstein in the 1950s. The Doctrine established that the Federal Republic would not initiate or maintain diplomatic relations with any state that recognised the German Democratic Republic of East Germany.
Hamid Karzai -  Hamid Karzai (b.1957) is an Afghan political figure who served as President of Afghanistan from 2004 to 2014. Karzai had been an active opponent to the Soviet Union’s invasion of Afghanistan in the 1980s but was sidelined in politics during the subsequent Taliban regime. Following the American invasion of Afghanistan in 2001, Karzai served two years as Interim President (2002-04) before being elected President in 2004.
Hannes Philipp -  Major-General Hannes Philipp was an Austrian military figure who served as Force Commander of the United Nations Disengagement Observer Force (UNDOF) from 1974 to 1979. Philipp later acted as Force Commander of the United Nations Transition Assistance Group (UNTAG) in Namibia from 1978 to 1980.
Hans Blix -  Hans Blix (b. 1928). Swedish diplomat and politician, served as Swedish Minister of Foreign Affairs (1978-1979), Director of the International Atomic Energy Agency (1981-1997), and led the United Nations weapons inspection mission in Iraq (2000-2003).
Harare Declaration -  The Harare Commonwealth Declaration of 1991 set out the Commonwealth's principles and values, including membership criteria. Click here to read the Declaration in full.
Harold Macmillan -  Harold Macmillan, 1st Earl of Stockton (1894-1986), was Prime Minister of the United Kingdom from 1957 to 1963. He was leader of the Conservative Party, having previously served cabinet positions under the tenure of Prime Ministers Sir Anthony Eden and Winston Churchill.
Harold Wilson -  Harold Wilson (1916-1995). British politician and Prime Minister (1964-1970, 1974-1976).
Harry Oppenheimer -  Harry Frederick Oppenheimer (1908-2000) was a South African businessman who chaired Anglo American Corporation (1957-82) and De Beers Consolidated Mines (1957-84).Oppenheimer, one of the world’s richest men, financed the anti-apartheid Progressive Federal Party in the 1970s and 80s. He also acted as Chancellor of the University of Cape Town (1967-99).
Hastings Banda -  Hastings Kamuzu Banda (1898-1997). Malawian politician, served as Prime Minister (1964-1966) and President (1966-1994).
Hausa -  A language spoken across northern Nigeria and Niger.
Head of Chancery -  A diplomatic post.
Hector Pieterson -  Hector Pieterson (1963-1976). South African school boy, killed by police at an anti-apartheid demonstration.
Helen Clark -  Helen Clark, b.1937, was the 37th Prime Minister of New Zealand (1999-2008) and in 2009 succeeded Kemal Dervis as Administrator of the United Nations Development Programme.
Helen McCue -  Dr Helen McCue (b.1949) is an Australian educator and activist who co-founded the Australian trade union aid body APHEDA in 1984 and the advocacy organisation Rural Australians for Refugees in 2001. As a nurse educator, she worked with the World Health Organisation in the Middle East in 1981 and the UN Relief and Works Organisation in Lebanon (1982-83). As Executive Director of APHEDA, she worked across South Africa and the Middle East from 1984 to 1994.
Helen Suzman -  Helen Suzman (1917-2009) was a South African political figure and anti-apartheid activist who helped found the Progressive Party in South Africa in 1959. She was a Member of Parliament for the Houghton constituency in Johannesburg from 1953 to 1989.
Helmut Schmidt -  Helmut Schmidt, b.1918, is a German politician who served as Chancellor of the Federal Republic of Germany from 1974 to 1982.
Hendrik Verwoerd -  Dr Hendrik Verwoerd (1901 –1966). Prime Minister of South Africa (1958-1966), closely associated with apartheid policies.
- Synonyms: Verwoerd
Henri Konan Bédié -  Aimé Henri Konan Bédié (b.1934) is an Ivorian political figure who served as President of Cote d’Ivoire from 1993 to 1999 as leader of the Democratic Party of Cote d’Ivoire – African Democratic Rally (PDCI-RDA). He was overthrown in a military coup in 1999 and fled to Togo and then Paris in exile. He returned to the country on new President Laurent Gbagbo’s request in 2001.
Henry Forde -  Sir Henry Forde (b.1933) is a Barbadian politician who served as his country’s Minister of External Affairs from 1976 to 1981. In 1981 he became leader of the Barbados Labour Party and, in this position, Leader of the Opposition. He retired from this role in 1993.
Henry Kissinger -  Henry Kissinger (b. 1923). American diplomat and politician.
Henry Lynch-Shyllon -  Henry M Lynch-Shyllon was a Sierra Leonean diplomat who served as the country’s United Nations Mission to the United States. He was later Director of the Administrative Division in Sierra Leone.
Herbert Blaize -  Herbert Blaize (1918-1989) was a Grenadian political figure who served as Prime Minister of Grenada from 1984 to 1989. He had previously served as Chief Minister during Grenada’s period as British Crown Colony (1960-61, 1962-67), becoming Prime Minister following the American-led invasion of the country.
Herbie Walker -  Herbert Samuel Walker is a Jamaican diplomat and former Governor of the Bank of Jamaica (1977-81) who served as his country’s High Commissioner to the United Kingdom from 1981-88. From 1989-92, he was Jamaica’s Permanent Representative to the Specialised Agencies of the United Nations at Geneva, where he was elected President of the Common Fund Conference.
Heritage Foundation -  A right wing American think tank founded in 1973.
Herstigte Nasionale Party -  The Herstigte Nasionale Party (Reconstituted National Party) is a South African political party formed in 1969 by Albert Hertzog as a right-wing splinter group from the then ruling National Party.
High Level Appraisal -  The ten-strong High Level Appraisal Group was established at the 1989 CHOGM to look at the role of the Commonwealth going forward, and drafted what became known as the Harare Declaration.
Hilgard Muller -  Hilgard Muller (1914-1985). South African politician and member of the National Party. He was Minister of Foreign Affairs, 1964-77.
HIPC -  The Heavily Indebted Poor Countries (HIPC) initiative is a debt reduction programme jointly coordinated by the IMF and the World Bank and launched in 1996. The initiative provides debt relief and low-interest loans to 39 countries around the world, 33 of which are located in sub-Saharan Africa.
HIV/Aids -  Human immunodeficiency virus infection / acquired immunodeficiency syndrome (HIV/AIDS) is a disease of the human immune system.
HMG -  Her Majesty’s Government. Formal name for the British government.
HMS Fearless -  A Royal Navy warship, venue for inconclusive 1968 talks between Harold Wilson and Ian Smith.
HMS Tiger -  A Royal Navy warship, venue for inconclusive 1966 talks between Harold Wilson and Ian Smith.
Houari Boumediene -  Houari Boumediene (1932-1978) was an Algerian political figure who served as Chairman of the Revolutionary Council of Algeria from 1965 to 1976, seizing power from President Ahmed Ben Bella in a bloodless coup. Following the adoption of a new constitution, Boumediene was made President of Algeria in 1976 and held this position until his death in 1978. He was fourth Secretary General of the Non-Aligned Movement (1973-76).
- Synonyms: Boumediene
Houphouet Boigny -  Houphouet Boigny (1905-1993). President of Cote D’Ivoire (1960-1993).
Hugh Carey -  Hugh Leo Carey (1919-2011) was an American attorney and political figure who served as Governor of New York from 1975 to 1982. He was Member of the US House of Representatives from 1963 to 1974.
Hugh Craft -  Dr Nickless Hugh Craft is an Australian diplomat who served as Director of the International Affairs Division, Commonwealth Secretariat, from 1979 to 1988. He was subsequently the Senior Executive of Environment Australia (1992-99) and member of the Department of the Australian Prime Minister and Cabinet (1999-2002).
Hugh Segal -  Hugh Segal (b. 1950). Canadian politician and a member of the 2010 Commonwealth Eminent Persons Group.
Hugh Shearer -  Hugh Shearer (1923-2004). Jamaican Prime Minister (1967-1972) and Foreign Minister (1980-1989).
Hugh Wooding -  Hugh Wooding (1904-1974). Trinidadian judge and politician.
Human Development Index -  The Human Development Index (HDI) is used to rank countries into tiers of human development. It is based on indices relating to life expectancy, educational attainment and income.
Human Rights Watch -  Human Rights Watch is an international, non-profit, non-governmental organization which focuses on the study and promotion of human rights. Established in 1978 in the wake of the Helsinki Accords, it is currently headquartered in New York City and has offices around the world. The organisation’s primary donor is the George Soros Open Society Foundation.
Humphrey Appleby -  Sir Humphrey Appleby is a fictional television character from the British television series Yes Minister and Yes, Prime Minister. He serves the British government in the fictional post of ‘Permanent Secretary for the Department of Administrative Affairs’.
- Synonyms: Sir Humphrey
Humphrey Gibbs -  Sir Humphrey Gibbs (1902-1990). Farmer and colonial administrator. Governor of Southern Rhodesia (1959-1969), opposed UDI. He accompanied Ian Smith to the Tiger and Fearless talks.
Humphrey Maud -  Sir Humphrey Maud (1934-2013). British diplomat. He was Commonwealth Deputy Secretary General for Economic and Social Affairs, 1993-99.
Hutton Inquiry -  A British judicial inquiry into the death of David Kelly, a British government weapons advisor, held in 2003.