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Nigel Baker

Ambassador to the Holy See (2011-2016)

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30th September 2011

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by Nigel Baker

Ambassador to the Holy See (2011-2016)

Common Values in Foreign Policy

On 27 September, the Holy See Foreign Minister, Archbishop Mamberti, addressed the UN General Assembly in a wide ranging speech on current international issues or, as he put it – reminding us diplomats why we engage in international diplomacy – “the principal questions that concern humanity in the search for a better future for all”. […]

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22nd September 2011

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by Nigel Baker

Ambassador to the Holy See (2011-2016)

Development and Faith

I have just returned from a short visit to London, where I took the opportunity to meet Chris Bain, the Director of CAFOD, the principal Catholic charity in England and Wales (its main partners in the United Kingdom are SCIAF in Scotland, and Trocaire in Northern Ireland – which also operates in the Republic of […]

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15th September 2011

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by Nigel Baker

Ambassador to the Holy See (2011-2016)

Anniversary of Pope Benedict’s Visit to Britain

The Papal Visit to the United Kingdom last year, exactly one year ago this week, was an extraordinary moment in the relationship between my country and the Holy See. It was the first State Visit by a Pope, and in the Prime Minister’s words “an incredibly moving four days for our country”. It emphasised the […]

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9th September 2011

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by Nigel Baker

Ambassador to the Holy See (2011-2016)

My first blog as Ambassador to the Holy See

This is my first blog entry as HM Ambassador to the Holy See – indeed, the first time a British Ambassador to the Holy See has had a blog. At a time when the Holy See is itself hosting meetings of bloggers from all over the world, and the Pope is tweeting, I think it […]

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5th August 2011

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by Nigel Baker

Ambassador to the Holy See (2011-2016)

End of Mission

This will be my last blog entry from La Paz. I am about to complete my mission here after just under four most stimulating and fascinating years in Bolivia. From later this month, I shall be taking up my new post as Her Majesty’s Ambassador to The Holy See. My successor, Ross Denny, arrives in […]

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2nd August 2011

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by Nigel Baker

Ambassador to the Holy See (2011-2016)

Visit of Minister of State Jeremy Browne

The Embassy team has just hosted the visit to Bolivia of Minister of State, and Minister for Latin America, Jeremy Browne. Such visits are always valuable in our efforts to take forward the bilateral relationship, and highlight Britain’s role in Bolivia. It was the first visit  to Bolivia of this level since Kim Howells visited […]

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19th July 2011

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by Nigel Baker

Ambassador to the Holy See (2011-2016)

Green Energy

Our growing electricity needs, and the way we waste our energy, are one of the principal clauses of global warming in the world. All governments are grappling with the problem of rising demand and the contradictory need to limit greenhouse gas emissions. Bolivia is not immune. The British government recently published an Electricity Market Reform […]

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30th June 2011

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by Nigel Baker

Ambassador to the Holy See (2011-2016)

Bribery and corruption

Bribery damages international trade and business, undermines societies, and blights economic development. Like fraud, it damages free enterprise and adds costs to business. It is estimated that corruption adds up to 10% to the total cost of doing business globally, and up to 25% of the cost of procurement contracts in developing countries. In other […]

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24th June 2011

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by Nigel Baker

Ambassador to the Holy See (2011-2016)

Saving Children from Disease

13 June saw an extremely significant meeting in London, co-hosted by the British Government and the Bill and Melinda Gates Foundation. It was especially important for children in developing countries. On that day, an addition $4.3bn was raised to replenish the Global Alliance on Vaccines and Immunisation (GAVI). This will mean that GAVI can immunise […]

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14th June 2011

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by Nigel Baker

Ambassador to the Holy See (2011-2016)

Celebrating The Queen

This Thursday 16 June, the British Embassy in La Paz will hold its annual Queen’s Birthday Party to celebrate the ascension to the throne of Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth II. It is an opportunity for the embassy to thank the many Bolivians, British, and people of other nationalities who help us in our work over […]

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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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