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
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