UK names first woman High Commissioner to Pakistan

ISLAMABAD: The UK government has announced the appointment of Jane Marriott as the next British High Commissioner to Pakistan.

Jane Marriott will become the first woman British High Commissioner to Pakistan when she formally assumes charge most likely in mid-July.

Prior to this appointment, Jane Marriott has worked as High Commissioner to Kenya from September 2019 to June 2023.

After her nomination, Jane Marriott took to social media and expressed how delighted she was on her new appointment.

She held that both the UK and Pakistan are linked in a bond of friendship.

“Dosti [friendship] and Commonwealth links can ensure a prosperous future,” said she in her tweet.

Jane Marriott is bringing to the flood-ravaged nation immense experience and expertise of tackling climate issues and working under environment-challenging conditions.

As High Commissioner to Kenya, she delivered a new UK-Kenya Strategic Partnership, strengthening ties across mutual prosperity, sustainable development, security and stability, people to people links and tackling climate change.

Experience in clean, sustainable energy projects

According to the British High Commission (BHC), Islamabad, in Kenya Jane oversaw the launch of new clean, green, sustainable energy projects as well as delivering UK-Kenyan cooperation to create the first-ever Kenyan Marine Commando Unit, underlining the UK’s commitment in the fight against terrorism in Kenya and the region.

Jane also supported restoration of over 1,000 hectares of deforested land, and under her leadership, the UK established a ‘Digital Access Programme’ in partnership with Kenyan stakeholders in the tech industry to train users on digital inclusion, cyber hygiene, and the regulation of online content, the BHC statement further said.

Besides, Jane brings a wealth of thematic and regional experience to her new role having joined the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) in 2001, following roles in the Cabinet Office and Home Office.

She has previously served as Director of the UK’s Joint International Counter-Terrorism Unit; Joint FCDO Director for the Middle East and North Africa; Ambassador to Sana’a, Yemen; Deputy and Acting Ambassador to Tehran; and as an adviser to the US Special Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, Richard Holbrooke. She has also completed two diplomatic postings to Iraq and one to Afghanistan.

Diplomatic ties

Since the creation of Pakistan in 1947 and establishment of diplomatic ties between the two countries, Jane Marriott will be the first British woman diplomat serving as High Commissioner in Islamabad.

According to a senior official of Pakistan’s Foreign Ministry, soon after the approval of her name by the Pakistani government, which is a mere formality, Jane Marriott will start as High Commissioner-designate of the British government and after presenting her credentials to President Arif Alvi will formally assume the charge. The entire exercise, he said, could take a couple of months.

Recently, Pakistan has received several woman ambassadors and high commissioners, particularly, from European countries. Some of them are: The current Ambassador of the European Union (EU) Dr Riina Kionka; Ambassador of the Netherlands Henny de Vries; Ambassador of Bulgaria, Irena Gancheva; Austrian Ambassador, Andrea Wicke and High Commissioner of Canada Leslie Scanlon.