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Nigel Baker

Ambassador to the Holy See (2011-2016)

Part of UK in Holy See

17th April 2014

Dedicated to the needs of others

2014HumanRightsReport
Launch of the 2013 FCO Human Rights report in London, 10 April 2014.

At his General Audience on 16 April, Pope Francis urged the large crowd of pilgrims present to dedicate Holy Week to learning about the needs of others, especially those out of sight, “whom we often forget, who need our comprehension, consolation and help.”

This is a message that applies as much to governments as individuals, and one to which my own seeks to respond. Despite the economic and political pressures, the UK is unique amongst the major industrialised countries in dedicating 0.7% of Gross National Income (GNI) to international development aid.

More specifically, the FCO Human Rights Report, which was launched on 10 April, shows the priority placed by the UK on international human rights concerns, and our leadership on issues hitherto avoided, such as sexual violence in conflict, or under-exploited, such as the contribution of business to the promotion and protection of human rights.

In his speech, Foreign Secretary William Hague described human rights as part of our national DNA and vital to our national interest. He also paid tribute “in particular to those staff working on the ground in fragile environments like in Yemen and Somalia, in repressive states including North Korea who are able to observe events few others can, to present arguments and concerns that might otherwise not be heard, and to forge relationships that allow us to change attitudes and encourage progress even where it seems most difficult.”

It is those staff in our network, protecting human rights defenders and trying to improve the lot of men and women in some of the toughest places on earth, who are (whether they know it or not) helping to put the Pope’s words into action.

We encourage everyone to study the Human Rights Report, and invite you to comment on the website: http://www.hrdreport.fco.gov.uk/. We know we can and should improve our performance, and ask you to help us to do so.

And please accept my very best wishes for a joyful and peaceful Easter, wherever in the world you are reading this!

About Nigel Baker

Nigel was British Ambassador to the Holy See from 2011-2016. He presented his Credentials to Pope Benedict XVI on 9 September 2011, after serving 8 years in Latin America, as…

Nigel was British Ambassador to the Holy See from 2011-2016. He presented his Credentials to Pope Benedict XVI on 9 September 2011, after serving 8 years in Latin America, as Deputy Head of Mission in the British Embassy in Havana, Cuba (2003-6) and then as British Ambassador in La Paz, Bolivia (2007-11). In July 2016, Nigel finished his posting, and is currently back in London.

As the first British Ambassador to the Holy See ever to have a blog, Nigel provided a regular window on what the Embassy and the Ambassador does. The blogs covered a wide range of issues, from Royal and Ministerial visits to Diplomacy and Faith, freedom of religion, human trafficking and climate change.

More on Nigel’s career

Nigel was based in London between 1998 and 2003. He spent two years on European Union issues (for the UK 1998 EU Presidency and on European Security and Defence questions), before crossing St James’s Park to work for three years as The Assistant Private Secretary to His Royal Highness The Prince of Wales. At St James’s Palace, Nigel worked on international issues, including the management of The Prince of Wales’s overseas visits and tours, on the Commonwealth, interfaith issues, the arts and international development.

Nigel spent much of the early part of his FCO career in Central Europe, after an initial stint as Desk Officer for the Maghreb countries in the Near East and North Africa department (1990-91). Between 1992 and 1996, Nigel served in the British embassies in Prague and Bratislava, the latter being created in 1993 after the peaceful division of Czechoslovakia into the separate Czech and Slovak Republics.

Nigel joined the FCO (Foreign and Commonwealth Office) in September 1989. Between 1996 and 1998 he took a two year academic sabbatical to research and write about themes in 18th century European history, being based in Verona but also researching in Cambridge, Paris and Naples. The research followed from Nigel’s time as a student at Cambridge (1985-88) where he read history and was awarded a First Class Honours degree, followed by his MA in 1992.

Before joining the Foreign Office, Nigel worked briefly for the Conservative Research Department in London at the time of the 1989 European election campaign.

Nigel married Alexandra (Sasha) in 1997. They have one son, Benjamin, born in Bolivia in September 2008.

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