GlobalAtlanta is a news website on the surface, but at our core, we've always been a connecting point for Atlanta's international community.

One of its key components is the consular corps, who provide both a source of content and a vital base of readers. GlobalAtlanta makes sense in this city largely because 60-plus countries are represented here by trade offices, chambers of commerce or diplomats. Being vigilant to cover their activities is one of our distinguishing characteristics.

We saw no shortage of writing material in 2011, as countries appointed new honorary consuls and opened new “career” consulates, diplomatic offices that issue visas and perform other services for their local constituencies.

As is the case in most years, 2011 also included some notable arrivals and departures. Below is a digest of consular comings and goings for the year.

New Consulates

India

More than three years have passed since the Indian ambassador to the United States announced that the country would open a consulate in Atlanta. A new envoy reiterated that commitment while speaking at local India business summits in the past two years.

Late in 2011, their projections came true, though India's entrance into the city's diplomatic community has been quiet, especially for such a highly anticipated consulate. Represented in Houston, the Southeast's Indian community has complained loudly and often that the office there has been overtaxed for far too long, making it unresponsive and slow to process visas and other requests.

Ajit Kumar arrived as consul general in Atlanta during the latter half of the year and began a limited outreach to the community. He gave a speech hosted by Emory University's Halle Institute for Global Learning soon after his arrival, and we spotted him at the TiE annual gala. Local Indian newspapers reported his attendance at Gandhi's birthday celebration at the King Center in November. He reportedly has been posted in Frankfurt, Germany, and Durban, South Africa.

The consulate has held no official grand opening. Look for that in 2012.

France and Germany

They may seem to be at loggerheads over certain aspects of the euro crisis, but neighboring European powerhouses France and Germany have been hard at work projecting an image of cooperation internationally.

Last year that manifested itself in the decision to have their local cultural centers, the Alliance Francaise and the Goethe Center, share office space at the Colony Square building in Midtown.

In 2011, they found a new way to cooperate in Georgia, jointly appointing an honorary consul in Savannah to represent the interests of both countries.

They recruited Denis Blackburne, who manages affordable housing developer Woda Group LLC's Savannah office. Mr. Blackburne was also named to the Greater Savannah International Alliance, an advisory board of local leaders charged with charting the course of the city's global relationships.

Read more: France, Germany Team Up With Honorary Consul in Savannah 

Haiti

Haiti opened a consulate in Atlanta in February as the island nation continued to rebuild from the devastating earthquake of January 2010 that killed more than 200,000 and left the impoverished country's infrastructure crippled.

Gandy Thomas, a diplomat formerly posted in the Orlando, Fla., consulate, is heading up the new office at 2911 Piedmont Rd. in Buckhead.

In Georgia, the Haitian community stands at about 40,000, a number that has risen by about 65 in the wake of the earthquake two year's ago, according to Mr. Thomas.  

Read more: Haiti Opens Atlanta Consulate, Delta to Launch Atlanta-Haiti Flight

Estonia

Estonian diplomats, including the country's ambassador to the U.S., visited Atlanta in November to install local businessman Aadu Allpere as the northeastern European country's honorary consul in Georgia.

Mr. Allpere is Estonia's ninth honorary consul in the U.S. He was born in Estonia and left the country at 9 years old. He now represents the interests of 60-70 Estonians in Georgia.

Mr. Allpere worked at Coca-Cola Co. for 30 years and now owns a Foot Solutions store in Buckhead. The honorary consulate is located at his home at 1865 High Trail.

Read more: Estonian Honorary Consulate Opens in Atlanta

Poland

It was an eventful year for Georgia-Poland relations, with the state hosting the country's ambassador on two occasions.

The first was to announce the appointment of Lawrence Ashe, a local employment attorney at Ashe Rafuse Hill LLP, as its new honorary consul for Georgia. In October, Ambassador Robert Kupiecki returned to Atlanta leading a group of companies and trade organizations. The stage had been set in December 2010 with a visit by Poland's economic minister, Marcin Korolec, where GlobalAtlanta first learned of Mr. Ashe's appointment.

The new honorary consul is well connected in Atlanta. His wife, Kathy, for the past 20 years has represented Georgia House District 56, which includes Atlanta’s central business district. He is also the brother of Victor Ashe, who served as George W. Bush's ambassador to Poland from 2004-09.

Mr. Ashe's appointment ceremony was held at City Hall, where Mayor Kasim Reed happily noted that it would've been tough for him to get elected without the Ashes' support.

Later in the year, a second Polish chamber was established in Atlanta.

Read more: City Hall Holds Ceremony for Poland’s Honorary Consul

Polish Momentum in Atlanta Grows With New Chamber

Comings and Goings

Korea

He-beom Kim arrived in Atlanta at an opportune time in U.S.-Korea relations. Only two months after he replaced Hae-jin Chun as Korean consul general, the U.S. Congress voted to approve the pending free-trade agreement between the countries.

Mr. Kim outlined the history of Korea-Georgia relations at a December dinner of the Korea-Southeast U.S. Chamber of Commerce, where he called for a new era of partnership exemplified by the FTA.

An accomplished diplomat who has served in the United Kingdom and Canada, Mr. Kim most recently served as an assistant minister of the Korean Culture and Information Service in Seoul.

Read more: New Korean Consul Calls for 'New Era' Under FTA

Nigeria

Geoffrey Teneilabe replaced Chudi Okafor as Nigeria's consul general in Atlanta. In a speech soon after he arrived, Mr. Teneilabe outlined the investment opportunities in his country and said that negative perceptions shouldn't cause Atlanta business leaders to overlook its potential.

Economic affairs consul Baba Garba noted in November that the Nigerian government is reforming the country's business regulations and stands ready to assist investors.

A major delegation of economic officials from Nigeria is expected to visit Atlanta in the spring.

Read more: New Nigerian Consul: Opportunity Lies Behind Negative Perceptions

American Opportunities in Nigeria, Taiwan, Austria and Brazil

Other Consular News

Dubbed as Diplomats: Honorary Consuls in Georgia

Liberian Honorary Consulate Now Issuing Visas

Atlanta's Passport Agency Offers Same-Day Service

Did we miss a consulate? Please send an email with a correction or addition to editorial@globalatlanta.com.

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