Part of an Ambassador's job is to look after British communities in the country in which s/he works. Particularly in tough situations, they look to the Ambassador and the Embassy for guidance and support. The Foreign Office has got much better in recent years in keeping in touch with Brits abroad, with computerised data bases, and, in many countries, systems of text message alerts for warning British citizens of security and other problems.
But there is also a ceremonial side to the job. So this week the doyen of the British community in Kabul, Dominic Medley, organised a Trafalgar Night dinner, at which the Commandant General of the Royal Marines, Major General Garry Robison (who also happens to be the Senior British Officer in Afghanistan); the Embassy Strategy Director, Commodore Steve Jermy RN; a leading member of the Embassy Counter Narcotics Team, Lieutenant Nicholas Lockwood, RN (retd); and I, spoke: about Nelson and Trafalgar, of course, but also, in my case, about Britain's commitment to Afghanistan. In naval fashion, we drank the health of Her Majesty The Queen, seated, and toasted the Immortal Memory of Admiral Lord Nelson. All rather strange in a landlocked country, but a good morale-booster for Brits and Afghan and other friends. The Guest of Honour was my friend the Canadian Ambassador, Arif Lalani, wearing what he told someone was his school swimming medal, but I am sure was some very distinguished Canadian decoration. Canada does a lot here, and we are real partners in the Afghanistan reconstruction project.
The following evening there was another, completely different, party, which I also had to attend in an official capacity. The Embassy, including the Department for International Development, employ large numbers of Gurkha guards from Nepal, provided by the British company, ArmorGroup. This week was the last day of the Hindu festival of Dasain, celebrating the Goddess Durga's victory over a demon. I was invited to present prizes to the best invidual Gurkha and guard teams, and, along with the Head of DFID-Afghanistan (Marshall Elliott), the Embassy's Counsellor, Drugs and Justice (Anna Aquilina), and our Chief Security Manager (John Windham), watched a cultural display by the Gurkhas, before being dragged by them on to the dance floor! Another Afghan experience.
(break)Posted at 16:34 22 October 2007 by Sherard Cowper-Coles |
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