Marianne Young

Marianne Young

High Commissioner, Windhoek

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30th January 2014 Windhoek, Namibia

Marianne Young

by Marianne Young

High Commissioner, Windhoek

A touch of the Highlands in the desert: The Commonwealth Queen’s baton comes to Namibia

The Queen’s Commonwealth baton has just spent a fun two days in Namibia as part of its journey through 70 of the world’s Commonwealth countries on its way to the start of the 20th Commonwealth Games in Glasgow in July. The British High Commission was delighted to play a part in the festivities in its […]

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13th January 2014 Windhoek, Namibia

Marianne Young

by Marianne Young

High Commissioner, Windhoek

Happy New Year from the British High Commissioner to Namibia

Happy New Year to everyone – both in Namibia and further afield. I hope you all had a chance to enjoy the good company of family and friends over the festive season, to enjoy some fireworks and frolics wherever you were, and have come back refreshed and ready for the year to come. 2014 already looks […]

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16th October 2013 Windhoek, Namibia

Marianne Young

by Marianne Young

High Commissioner, Windhoek

Taking a Stand: British support for Human Rights activities in Namibia

16 October marks international Blog Action Day which has a “Human Rights” theme this year. The British High Commission in Windhoek has a proud history of supporting local organisations focusing on human rights issues in Namibia. Since my own arrival here in mid 2011, I have particularly enjoyed working with the Legal Assistance Centre (LAC), […]

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1st October 2013 Windhoek, Namibia

Marianne Young

by Marianne Young

High Commissioner, Windhoek

Visit to Namibia’s latest World Heritage Site in the Namib Desert

Namibia is a country blessed with magnificent scenery, wonderful warm people and a terrific climate. It is also now blessed with two World Heritage sites after the recent UNESCO naming of the Namib Sand Sea as the country’s latest addition to this eminent international grouping and marks its first natural site. Namibia’s other World Heritage […]

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27th August 2013 Windhoek, Namibia

Marianne Young

by Marianne Young

High Commissioner, Windhoek

Visiting drought stricken areas in northern Namibia

Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba declared a national emergency on 17 May in response to the country’s failed rains and worsening drought situation. An estimated 330,000 people have now been classified as food insecure – 14 % of Namibia’s total population of 2.3m, with an additional 447,577 classified as moderately food insecure. The drought hit especially […]

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20th August 2013 Windhoek, Namibia

Marianne Young

by Marianne Young

High Commissioner, Windhoek

Guest Blog by 2012/13 Namibian Chevening scholar Jennifer Kandjii

My experience as a Chevening Scholar: From Osire to London   By: Jennifer Kandjii A famous quote by Saint Augustin states that ‘the world is a book, and those who do not travel read only a page.’ This quote among others on travelling, exposure and in general academia has been the driving force in my life. […]

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14th August 2013 Windhoek, Namibia

Marianne Young

by Marianne Young

High Commissioner, Windhoek

An Anglo-German labour of love, devotion and educational excellence in northern Namibia

I have just spent the most fascinating evening with a remarkable Anglo-German family in Kunene Province, north western Namibia, en route to the far north to see the effect of this year’s drought emergency. Gillian and Reiner Stommel are based five hours drive north of Windhoek where they run Otjikondo School, which they founded in […]

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2nd August 2013 Windhoek, Namibia

Marianne Young

by Marianne Young

High Commissioner, Windhoek

Passing on the Olympic baton to Brazil at Windhoek special needs school

I ended this week on a really high note at an event at Dagbreek School in Windhoek where I handed over an Olympic torch to the Brazilian Ambassador to mark the one year anniversary of the London 2012 Games. It is incredible to think that what we proudly call last year’s ‘Greatest Sporting Show on […]

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20th June 2013 Windhoek, Namibia

Marianne Young

by Marianne Young

High Commissioner, Windhoek

Visit to Osire Refugee camp in central Namibia

Today (20 June) is International World Refugee Day 2013 – and I marked the event by travelling out to Osire Refugee Settlement in central Namibia earlier this week. I was surprised when I arrived in Windhoek to discover that the country had a UN Refugee Agency (UNHCR)-run resettlement camp filled largely by Angolans and Congolese. […]

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9th May 2013 Windhoek, Namibia

Marianne Young

by Marianne Young

High Commissioner, Windhoek

HMS Argyll helps boost UK Prosperity Agenda in Namibia

Royal British Navy Frigate HMS Argyll served as a fantastic platform to showcase the best of British commercial interests in Namibia this week in Walvis Bay. The 133m long vessel, complete with Lynx helicopter and 200-strong crew, spent 3 days berthed at the country’s  port. I was delighted to join the Governor of Erongo Region, […]

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About Marianne Young

Marianne Young is the current British High Commissioner to the Republic of Namibia. She arrived in Windhoek in June 2011 and presented her credentials to the President of the Republic of…

Marianne Young is the current British High Commissioner to the
Republic of Namibia. She arrived in Windhoek in June 2011 and presented
her credentials to the President of the Republic of Namibia on 3rd
August.
Mrs Young joined the FCO in 2001 following a career in international
journalism, including time spent running an Asian maritime press office
in Singapore and a traineeship on the UK’s Times newspaper.
Her first role in the FCO was as a Press Officer in News Department,
after which she went on to be Head of the Great Lakes Section in Africa
Directorate and then Head of the East Africa & Horn Section.
In 2005, she became the first Head of Communications for the Engaging with the Islamic World Group.
She moved to the British High Commission in Pretoria in February 2007
and served as the Head of the External Political Section and Deputy
High Commissioner to the Kingdoms of Lesotho and Swaziland.
Mrs Young moved across to the British High Commission in Windhoek in
June 2011, and presented her credentials to the President of the
Republic of Namibia on 3rd August 2011.
On her appointment as British High Commissioner to the Republic of Namibia, Mrs Young said:
“I am honoured and delighted to be appointed Her Majesty’s High
Commissioner to Namibia. I look forward to working to strengthen the
many commercial, political and cultural ties between our two countries,
and to help the many British nationals who holiday there. My family and I
are particularly thrilled to be remaining in southern Africa – and to
have the opportunity to explore this beautiful country further and
discover more about its people and culture.”
Curriculum vitae

Full name:
Marianne Young

Married to:
Barry Young

Children:
Two daughters and one son

 
June 2011
Windhoek, British High Commissioner

2007 – 2011
 
Pretoria, Head of External Political Section and DHC for the Kingdoms of Lesotho and Swaziland

2005 – 2006
FCO, Head of Communications, Engaging with the Islamic World Group

2004 – 2005
FCO, Head of East Africa & Horn Section, Africa Directorate

3/2003 – 8/2003
FCO, Head of Great Lakes Section, Africa Directorate

2002 – 2003
FCO, Press Officer, Press Office

2001 – 2002
FCO, Departmental Report Editor, Press Office

2001
Joined FCO

2000-2001
Senior Correspondent, Fairplay Group, UK

1995-2000
Staff Editor and then Asia Editor, Fairplay Group Singapore

1994-1995
Graduate Trainee at The Times newspaper, UK

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