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Nigel Baker

Ambassador to the Holy See (2011-2016)

Part of UK in Holy See

28th January 2016

Syria: rejecting indifference

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Image: SupportingSyria2016.com

There has been war in Syria throughout Pope Francis’s pontificate. It has been the principal foreign policy concern of the Holy See since his election, and continues to be so. His Holiness has spoken out many times about the need for action to stop the war in Syria, and it is reasonable to suppose that when he criticises what he calls “the globalisation of indifference”, it is Syria that that springs to his mind. The Holy See is also deeply concerned about the future of Christianity in the Middle East, as members of the many different Christian communities in Iraq and Syria join others in fleeing the conflict and instability.

The Pope is right that our priority should be to tackle what he has called “the humanitarian tragedy” of Syria. That is why the United Kingdom will co-host a conference in London on 4 February, with Germany, Kuwait, Norway and the United Nations, that will seek not only to address the humanitarian challenges faced by the people of Syria, but also take an ambitious and creative new approach to provide longer term support for refugees, including jobs and education. The conference will also support Syria’s neighbours who have shown extraordinary generosity and saved many lives with their hospitality towards Syrian refugees. Pope Francis made a point of highlighting their “generous solidarity” when he spoke to the Holy See diplomatic corps on 11 January, “especially Lebanon, where refugees make up a fourth of the total population, and Jordan, which has not closed its borders”.

The United Kingdom recognises that military solutions are not the way to end the conflict. Our strategy includes working hard towards a political transition to a peaceful future, and we have been strong supporters of the series of negotiations in Geneva towards that goal. Militarily, we contribute to the campaign in the region to defeat Daesh. And on the humanitarian side, we are the second largest bilateral donor, focusing on the provision of food, shelter, medical care and drinking water to thousands of Syrians.

We clearly need to do more. Catholic agencies such as the Jesuit Refugee Service and Caritas have done an extraordinary job alongside other aid organisations in the most difficult circumstances. The conference in London will bring together global leaders, NGOs, the private sector and civil society with the primary aim of offering Syrians greater hope and opportunities for the future. We are pleased that the Holy See will also attend, in the shape of Archbishop Gallagher, the Secretary for Relations with States of His Holiness. Pope Francis is right. We cannot be indifferent. Archbishop Gallagher will, I am sure, remind the gathering of the need to act to end the war and end the suffering of too many people. The London conference, “Supporting Syria and the Region”, will we hope be a crucial and practical milestone towards those objectives.

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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