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Nigel Baker

Ambassador to the Holy See (2011-2016)

Part of UK in Holy See

5th June 2015

Helping Christians in Iraq

mons. warda
Monsignor Bashar Warda, Chaldean Archbishop of Erbil

One of the benefits of being accredited to the Holy See is the possibility of listening and speaking to people from across the global Catholic Church who visit Rome to do business at the Vatican. This is useful for the UK, because I can often glean information not available elsewhere in our foreign policy network, which in turn improves our understanding of – and opens up possibilities for cooperation on – issues at the top of our international concerns.

An example was a discussion I had this week with Monsignor Bashar Warda, the Chaldean Archbishop of Erbil in the Kurdish region of Iraq. He was in Rome to meet the Pope and senior Holy See officials, and discuss with the organisation Aid to the Church in Need how to support the large numbers of Christian and other refugees taking shelter in Erbil having been displaced from their homeland by ISIL, or Daesh.

The United Kingdom believes in standing up for the freedom of people of all religions to practise their beliefs in peace and safety, including the Christians of the Middle East. Archbishop Warda is clear about the need to support the ancient Christian communities in Iraq so that they can eventually return to their own homes in safety – not, he says, as a symbol of the past, but because of the need for them to be involved in the future rebuilding of Iraq. Supporters include The Prince of Wales who, alongside the Pope, has donated money to provide for the well-being of the refugees and their families.

The UK is one of the principal members of the anti-ISIL coalition, and one of the main providers of humanitarian aid to Iraq. Through a comprehensive military, political, diplomatic and development strategy, with our allies we are determined to do what we can to ensure that ISIL is defeated and Iraq able to rebuild. On 4 June, the International Development Secretary announced a further tranche of UK humanitarian aid for the most vulnerable Iraqis.

It is a privilege for me to be able to meet brave people, like Archbishop Warda, living and working on the front line in the midst of crisis. I salute him, and all those struggling to support the displaced refugees of war in Iraq and Syria. Many dedicate their lives to this service because of their faith and their belief in the need to play a role in forging the better days to come. It is incumbent upon us to help them, because it is in them that the future of their country lies.

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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