As conflicts and wars rage, more than ever, it is important to look towards diplomatic leaders. Interest in becoming ambassadors is high. 46% of respondents in a recent survey said “yes” and 44% said “maybe” when asked about an ambassadorship program. Another survey found that 97% of participants would recommend joining a particular ambassador network. Thus Lithum A – along with Tom M, met Nicola Pollitt, the ambassador of Nepal.
Nicola Pollitt is an experienced British diplomat who has served as the UK Ambassador to Nepal since November 2019, becoming the first woman to do so in over 200 years. With a career spanning various high-level positions in the Foreign, Cabinet, Commonwealth & Development Office, she has worked in many countries including Afghanistan, Norway, and Somalia. As ambassador she has focused on strengthening UK-Nepal ties in areas such as health, climate resilience and education, notably playing a key role in distributing vaccines during the COVID-19 pandemic.
Three people gave their opinion about whether ambassadors themselves are useful. Across the three interviews there was a general sense that people thought that ambassadors are useful and form meaningful links between countries.
Nicola states the foreign office was not what she expected when she was young. Studying law at university, Nicola realised she “quite liked international law,” exclusively stating that she “didn’t go into it knowing loads about it.”
Before Nicola became the ambassador to Nepal, she revealed she had many other jobs in the foreign office and in different countries. She visited Norway and Afghanistan in less senior jobs, working for the ambassador to the afore said places. She also worked in Number 10 when David Cameron was Prime Minister and helped him on development in China and India. She strongly believes “it is very important to understand different countries.”
Nicola gave us a unique insight into what it was like being an ambassador during Covid, revealing that while normally she met people in their first 6 months she was stuck indoors within 3 months. She prioritised that the British Taxpayers money went into productive places in Nepal such as infrastructure, health and education.
Nicola also revealed that because she could speak Nepali it helped the locals feel like she was trying to speak to them. She also said that all subjects provide valuable skills that can be applied to the position of ambassador. She feels proud to be the first female ambassador to Nepal in over 200 years, paving the way for other woman to get into the roles high up in the foreign office. She also felt like she had a “responsibility to try and do something with the position for other woman.”
In conclusion, we think that Nicola’s answer to the question about her being the only female ambassador to Nepal in over 200 years was very insightful and thought-provoking. Also, we believe that Nicola should be very proud of herself for overcoming the cultural as well as language barriers in Nepal. We hope that, after reading this article, you will have a more in depth understanding of the life of an ambassador in the foreign office and the strenuous challenges that lead up to you filling that honourable position.
Reported By Tom M and Lithum A
