UK Appoints New Ambassador To Sensitive Mogadishu Post

In news overnight from London, the British government has appointed Ms. Kate Foster OBE, as Her Majesty’s Ambassador to the Federal Republic of Somalia – replacing the hugely popular Mr. Ben Fender OBE.

After the handover, it is understood Mr. Fender who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment while Ms. Foster will take up her post sometime in February 2021.

Ms. Foster has extensive experience in north Africa dating back to 2004, after she left the private sector to work for the UNHCR.

Most recently it is believed she attended a government Staff Course in preparation for her posting.

She will adopt her new position in a year to be marked by elections in Somalia and neighboring Somaliland, amidst a time of change in the Horn of Africa, not helped by the recent civil war in regional power house Ethiopia and increased Chinese interest in the region.

Ms. Foster’s full CV follows,

Currivulum vitae

Full name: Kate Foster

Year

Role

2018 to Present

Cabinet Office, Deputy Director, International Affairs, National Security Secretariat then UK Defence Academy Higher Command and Staff Course

2017

Department for International Development, Head, Africa Strategy

2015 to 2017

Department for International Development, Head, Africa Conflict and Humanitarian Unit then Head, Yemen

2014 to 2015

UK Ebola Response, Chief of Operations, Sierra Leone

2012 to 2014

Crown Agents, Deputy Director, Department for International Development Conflict & Humanitarian Operations Team

2011 to 2012

Save the Children, Programme Director, Emergency Response

2008 to 2011

International Rescue Committee then Save the Children, Programme Director South Sudan

2006 to 2008

International Rescue Committee, Governance Programme Co-ordinator

2004 to 2005

UNHCR/Right to Play, Head Refugee Youth Engagement, Sierra Leone and Liberia

1999 to 2004

Appointments in the Private Sector

Source:  gov.uk website.

This article first appeared in the Puntland Post and is republished with permission

You May Also Like

Taiwan – Somaliland Ties Drawing Attention From Egypt

According to sources speaking to the Somaliland Chronicle, and since independently confirmed…

Mark BucktonJuly 14, 202012.9K views

Calling China’s Bluff On Recent Provocations: Indian Style

Editor’s note: Dr Punit Saurabh is an Assistant Professor (Strategy area) at Nirma…

Guest ArticleJuly 10, 202012.7K views

Is Chinese Navy Eyeing Taiwan Held Pratas Islands?

A combination of reports from Japan and China over the past week…

Mark BucktonMay 19, 202011.5K views

How New Delhi’s Eye-For-An-Eye Move Shocked Beijing. 

This is a guest piece by Aditya Singh Gaur The relationship between…

Guest ArticleJune 25, 202010.2K views