Profile
Jane Marriott holds the office of incumbent UK High Commissioner in Pakistan. She is the first female British High Commissioner to Pakistan and was appointed in July 2023.
Her role includes supervising the work of the UK High Commission and its Deputy High Commissions and/or Consulates in Pakistan.
She oversees political work, trade and investment, press and cultural relations, and visa and consular services.
Marriot was born in 1976 in Doncaster, United Kingdom, a city popular for horse racing and has a rich heritage of arts and culture.
She pursued her Bachelor’s in history at the prestigious Durham University and completed her M.Phil. in the field of International Relations at the University of Cambridge.
Marriot’s journey of being a Diplomat:
Marriot began her diplomatic journey in 2001 when she was appointed to the UK Government’s Foreign, Commonwealth and Development office.
Since then, Jane has worked with the governments of multiple countries as a representative of the United Kingdom.
The major part of her diplomatic postings has been focused on the countries of the Middle East and North Africa.
She has previously assumed the roles of Deputy Director, Middle East and North Africa; Deputy Ambassador, Tehran; Policy Advisor to the US diplomat to Pakistan and Afghanistan, Richard C. Holbrooke; and Policy Advisor, Iraq and Afghanistan.
Before being appointed in Pakistan, she served as the British High Commissioner to Kenya from 2019 to 2023 and as the British Ambassador to Yemen from 2013 to 2015.
In her interview with the Women in Foreign Policy (WiFP) organization, Jane shares her experiences of working in the Middle East and North Africa.
Her tenure in those regions was full of challenges and hard times as countries such as Iran, Iraq, Syria, Yemen, Libya, and Afghanistan were going through wars, conflict, violence, and bloodshed, she said.
Read more: Jane Marriott appointed as first female British High Commissioner to Pakistan
Jane Marriot explained how she and her team in Yemen juggled between political leaders, civilians, and other stakeholders to facilitate the political processes and uphold the essence of democracy.
Moreover, she acknowledged the privilege of being a ‘third gender’ as a foreign woman in the Middle East because she got invited to female as well as male gatherings.
This privilege allowed her to have open and free conversations with both genders and provided the opportunity to address their issues.
Marriot’s time in Pakistan
Since holding the office in Pakistan in 2023, Jane has been vocal about climate change in Pakistan – an alarming issue.
In her interviews with Pakistani news agencies, she expressed her deep concerns over the mysterious outcomes of climate change in Pakistan in the form of floods and extreme weather events.
Consequently, the UK government is closely working with Pakistan in the climate field.
Marriott assists the UK’s mission to collaborate with Pakistan to promote clean and green energy transition, further climate financing, climate investment fund, building climate resilience in local communities, and preserving the nature of the country.
Jane Marriott Commented on X:
Moreover, the British High Commissioner is actively promoting human rights, women’s empowerment, and raising the voices of marginalized groups in local communities of Pakistan.
Her involvement is seen in the British Council’s Awaaz II project, UK’s community engagement program, focusing on the rights of women, children, youth, and marginalized people of Punjab and KPK.
The UK has also introduced this program in Sindh in the month of September, Jane updated on X.
Marriott’s Personal Experience in Pakistan
Jane is fond of hiking and has cherished her time hiking at the Margalla Hills, one of Pakistan’s most beautiful mountainous regions.
She has praised Pakistani people’s hospitality and warmth, along with relishing Pakistani cuisines.
After completing the first year of her tenure in Pakistan in July 2024, the UK High Commissioner shared her positive reflections with a Pakistani news agency.
Read More: British High Commissioner Host Reception For Pakistan
“Today marks the 1st anniversary of my arrival in Pakistan. And what a year it’s been! It’s a country that I’d always wanted to live in, with a wonderful reputation in the UK thanks to its warm hospitality, natural beauty, rich cultural heritage, and culinary delights. It has not disappointed”, she wrote.
){kind=link}