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Nigel Baker

Ambassador to the Holy See (2011-2016)

Part of UK in Holy See

12th November 2014

The Catholic Church, the UK and the fight against Ebola

Ebola_Ukaid
Ebola crisis: UK aid arrives in Sierra Leone. Picture: James Fulker/DFID

The following is a guest blog by Steve Townsend, Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy to the Holy See

The Ebola virus spread quickly through Sierra Leone, Guinea and Liberia, with over 13,000 deaths so far. The disease has made the front pages across the globe, provoking concern, offers of assistance, and in some cases, panic.  The UK government has quickly stepped up to the plate, offering over £205m in assistance, including the opening of an Ebola treatment Unit in Kerry Town (the first of six being built throughout the country, with a planned total of 700 beds), an Ebola testing laboratory now functioning in Kerry Town, and logistical and expert support provided by British military brought in by RFA Argus.

I attended a meeting last week called by Caritas Internationalis, the umbrella organisation of over 160 Catholic NGOs. The meeting included not only representatives of Caritas donor NGOs, such as CAFOD, Caritas Belgium and TROCAIRE, but also those working on the ground – there were dial-in contributions from Caritas representatives and people working in all three countries. There were also representatives of some of the many Catholic religious congregations working in the field – some maybe not well-known in the UK, but who have a strong missionary presence: Camillian Fathers, Congregation of St John of God, Society of the Divine Word, Congregation of the Holy Spirit, Franciscan Missionaries of Mary to name some of them.

These groups have been in the communities before the Ebola outbreak, and will be there after it has passed by. They have built up a level of trust with the communities which is vital in persuading people to have confidence in the instructions they are being given on safe burial procedures, rehabilitation of those who have recovered from the disease, and those left orphaned or alone because their families have died. The meeting emphasised the importance of strengthened non-Ebola health structures, ensuring that borders remain open and building the essential infra-structure and resilience of the affected countries. The Catholic health clinics continue to treat the sick, and they lost many of their colleagues in the early days of the outbreak. Yet their volunteers continue to work in the most affected areas.

The international community is mobilising its force to deal with the scourge of Ebola. The British Foreign Secretary is visiting Sierra Leone today, to demonstrate UK’s continued commitment. In the affected countries, the religious communities have a vital role to play, and should be applauded for their dedication. We hope very much to work with them in this common battle.

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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