At the most simplistic level, an ambassador acts as a representative for her or his home country. Ambassadors usually live in a country different from their home one and work as a delegate for and representative of their home country in votes and activities. This means that they are responsible for understanding the culture in which they live as an ambassador, but they must always work to keep the best interests of their home country in mind.
Ambassadors serve as delegates for the United Nations. They are expected to represent the views and standpoints of their home country, and therefore must vote on issues accordingly. They work with other ambassadors to pass legislation that will bring positive change to all countries involved. Ambassadors are responsible for understanding the world’s key issues.
Another major part of the ambassador’s role is his or her reporting function. Because ambassadors serve on different administrative bodies and committees, they must gather lots of facts and regularly report back to their home country. Their home government then makes important decisions based on this information.
There are various ways that somebody can serve as an ambassador, whether it be to a different country, on a specific administrative body, or with the United Nations, but the responsibilities of the role are quite similar across locations. As they are all representatives with different focuses, ambassadors must balance serving as diplomats within the country or body that they serve and gathering and reporting information. Ambassadors are true liaisons, as this is the main focus of their responsibilities.