Guest blog by Deputy Head of Mission, Chris Rampling:
A fellow diplomat in Amman once told me that he loved it when the Ambassador was away, because he didn’t have to do any work. Well, after a busy summer, @PeterMillett1 is now on a well-earned holiday. In his absence, has the British Embassy shut down?
Far from it. In fact, the post-Ramadan and Eid pace has picked up significantly. Our visa team has been busy assessing applications for Jordanian students to visit the UK for the new academic year. Our Consular section is providing assistance to British Nationals in Yemen and Syria, as well as Jordan. Our Trade and Investment team are following up on new leads. And our Political team continues to follow closely and respond appropriately to the latest developments in the region.
And what of me? When the Ambassador is away, I am officially known as Chargé d’Affaires. Most Deputy Ambassadors in the British Diplomatic Service enjoy their periods as “Chargé”. But not because we can turn up at our leisure and leave early – no, most of us enjoy the chance to do our boss’s job (don’t most people?!).
It has been one week, and I do miss Peter’s steadying hand and wise counsel. My wife also tells me I am around the house much less. But I will be honest – I am enjoying many of his duties. In the last few days for example, I have spoken alongside the Minister of Finance at the launch of the Oxford Business Group’s (excellent) report on Jordan; talked to a challenging group of postgraduate students from Oxford University about Syria, the future of the region and the role of the British Council; and looked with Embassy colleagues at our plans to follow up in Jordan the wonderful London Olympic and Paralympic Games. Not to mention, of course, the many emails I have received and replied to on behalf of the Ambassador.
But these are also critical times for Jordan and the region. Among the challenges, some friends and contacts tell me they are facing economic hardship. Others who live or work in northern Jordan highlight difficulties there – even despite the welcome efforts of the UN and Jordanian authorities. Yet others wonder if their family and friends in Syria will ever live a normal life again.
The crisis in Syria is playing out barely 60 minutes from where I sit, and just down the road from where I studied Arabic. If you or I are not personally feeling the impact, then the ‘bani admeen’ next door surely are. Ensuring that the UK is doing whatever we can – on both sides of the border – will be a critical element of my next few weeks.
So, I’d be interested in talking to as many of you as possible about how we can help – and not only in relation to the Syrian crisis. Please tweet me on @crampling, or contact the Embassy on @UKinJordan or on our Facebook page.
Abwabna maftoo7a dai’iman (even when the Ambassador is away….).
Dear Mr. Rampling and Mr. Millett, this only my 4th. comment to Amman/Jordan,At least I ´ve started to write to you at a time when Mr. James Watt (Now Brit. Ambassador in Cairo/Egypt) wrote reports. But this article of you is really excellent and very interesting. For it ´s to me like an invitation for a visit to your embassy, it ´s like a “come inside and look”. I don ´t know very much about your work.That ´s why I just picked up the most notable, the newest topics for me:#1:That you are also supporting develpments or nations, OUTSIDE of Jordan.#2:That there is a special team which is OBSERVING the crisis of the ENTIRE area. # 3 : Keeping contacts to some UNIVERSITIES in the UK as well as the UN. #4:THE DANGER.Esp. if you are “60 min. away” from the Syrian civil war. # 5: THE FEAR of getting sick or somehow strange/mad,for according to yr. words:”…will families and friends ever live NORMAL again ?”.So at the moment, OCT. 12, I only can wish you, Peter Millett and ALL of yr. teams the very best in re. of your forthcoming “…critical elements…” in the future.
BW and ” SALAMALAIKUM, Ingo-Steven Wais, Stuttgart.