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Nigel Baker

Ambassador to the Holy See (2011-2016)

Part of UK in Bolivia

27th January 2011

Relations between Bolivia and Britain

In my New Year blog I set out the wide range of areas in which this Embassy is active in promoting good relations between our two countries.

David Choquehuanca and James BrokenshireThe recent visit of Foreign Minister David Choquehuanca to London provided an opportunity to further strengthen that relationship. The principal themes of the meetings in London were two priorities of both our countries: climate change and the battle against narcotrafficking.

On climate change, Bolivia and the United Kingdom agreed to work together, as two high ambition countries, towards the best possible result at the Durban climate change summit in November this year. Both our countries are leaders in the climate change debate, and it is important that countries with ambition, focused on the need to reduce the impacts of global warming, join forces to ensure real momentum towards ambitious solutions.

The visit also saw the signing between Foreign Minister Choquehuanca and Minister for Crime Prevention James Brokenshire  of a bilateral Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation in the Fight against Illicit Trafficking of Drugs. The global cocaine business cannot be stopped unless consumer and producer countries work together, across the whole chain of the trade, against those involved in a business that damages so many lives, undermines governments, and sows violence and corruption in its wake. The Memorandum of Understanding is an important expression of the commitment and determination of Bolivia and the United Kingdom to join forces, and provides a clear framework for our future collaboration.

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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change climate cooperation drug relations trafficking

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