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Nigel Baker

Ambassador to the Holy See (2011-2016)

Part of UK in Holy See

2nd July 2012

Freedom of Religion: what we are doing to protect it

Launch of the Human Rights and Democracy: The 2011 Foreign & Commonwealth Report in London, 30 April 2012.

In the joint communiqué signed between the British Government and the Holy See in February this year, both sides committed to “working together to combat intolerance and discrimination based on religion, wherever it is manifest”. This was a significant promise. What does it mean in practice?

In essence, it means working together multilaterally and internationally to ensure freedom of religion or belief. The European Union took an important step in this direction on 25 June, with the adoption by the Foreign Affairs Council of a new EU Human Rights Strategy. This has been supported and welcomed by the United Kingdom. The Foreign Secretary, William Hague, has said that human rights should be at the forefront of the EU’s external engagement, despite the current dominance of economic issues on the international agenda. Especially welcome in the new strategy is a strong focus on freedom of religion, particularly in the context of human rights violations and sectarian-style attacks in many parts of the world. There is more than enough for the EU to do. But the commitment is clearly there and should be welcomed by the Holy See.

The 2011 Foreign and Commonwealth Office Report on Human Rights and Democracy, launched on 30 April by Mr Hague, notes that: “Protecting religious freedoms and preventing discrimination on grounds of religion or belief are priority human rights issues for the UK Government”, and that: “Freedom of religion and respect for religious plurality is at the core of British society”. Our Embassies and High Commissions around the world are tasked to raise concerns about religious freedom with host governments whenever issues arise, and to take action on cases of persecution or discrimination. We monitor carefully the performance of key countries of concern. For example, in the wake of the Arab Spring, Lord Howell told the House of Lords last December during a debate on Christians in the Middle East that the UK Government believes that the treatment of religious minorities will be a valuable litmus test of whether we are watching a truly democratic process unfolding in the region.

The UK Government has engaged with many governments around the world over the last year on this key issue, including Kazakhstan, Turkey, Indonesia, Nigeria and Pakistan. That engagement has often led to real improvements on the ground. We have also worked in the UN, often in partnership with the EU, to improve UN performance on this issue. The Foreign Office is strengthening its engagement with leaders of different faiths in the UK, and our own internal understanding of what is a complex and sensitive set of issues. We look forward to continuing to work closely with the Holy See in an area of work that remains a key test of the health of any pluralistic democracy.

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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