Jacqueline Perkins (diplomat)

This article is about British diplomat. For Australian long-distance runner, see Jacqueline Perkins.

Her Excellency
Jacqueline Perkins
OBE
British Ambassador to Belarus
In office
August 2019 – August 2024
MonarchsElizabeth II
Charles III
Prime MinisterBoris Johnson
Liz Truss
Rishi Sunak
Keir Starmer
Preceded byFionna Gibb
Succeeded byDavid Ward (temporary chargé d'affaires)
Personal details
Born
Jacqueline Louise Perkins[1]

Cornwall, England
Children2
Alma materUniversity of Cambridge
University of Notre Dame (MA)
OccupationDiplomat

Jacqueline Louise "Jacky" Perkins OBE is a British diplomat who was the British Ambassador to Belarus from 2019 until 2024. Previous to that, she was the deputy head of mission in Kuwait.

Consular career

Perkins joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1989 as an Assistant Desk Officer for the East Africa Department. In 1990, she underwent full-time Arabic language training courses and after two years was posted to the British Embassy in Abu Dhabi.[2]

In 1995, she was recalled to become the head of the Germany and Austria Section in the West Europe Department of the FCO. She stayed at the FCO in various posts until 1999 when she became the Head of Political, Economic and Development Section in Cairo. From 2003 until 2008, she was a regional adviser in Bahrain and in 2008, she became a Strategic Policy Adviser at the FCO's Strategy Unit. She became the Deputy Head of Mission in Kuwait in 2013, a post she held until 2018.[3][2]

In 2018, Perkins underwent an intensive Russian language course.[4] She was announced as the new UK Ambassador to Belarus and the successor to Fionna Gibb in June 2019, and took up her post in August.[5]

In October 2019, Perkins called on Belarus to drop the death penalty as part of International Day Against the Death Penalty.[6] In February 2020, Perkins said she was trying to "maintain momentum" in increased international trade and does not expect any changes after Brexit.[7] In October 2020, Foreign Secretary Dominic Raab temporarily recalled Perkins amid civil unrest in Belarus triggered by allegations of electoral fraud against President Alexander Lukashenko.[8] In March 2023, Perkins attended commemorative events for the 80th anniversary of the Khatyn massacre.[9]

Perkins was appointed Officer of the Order of the British Empire (OBE) in the 2024 New Year Honours for services to British foreign policy.[10][11]

Personal life

Perkins has a degree in Modern Languages from Cambridge University and a MA in International Relations from the University of Notre Dame, Indiana.[2] She has two children.[2]

References

  1. ^ "Bilingualism in law in practice: the experience of Belarus and the United Kingdom". British Institute of International and Comparative Law. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  2. ^ a b c d "British Ambassador to Belarus Jacqueline Perkins". GOV.UK. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  3. ^ "Red Crescent Gala Evening". Kuwait English School. 17 November 2017. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  4. ^ "New U.K. Ambassador To Belarus Jacqueline Perkins Arrives In Minsk". Belarus Feed. 30 August 2019. Retrieved 13 February 2020.
  5. ^ "United Kingdom appoints new ambassador to Belarus". BELTA. 21 June 2019. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  6. ^ "UK in Belarus". Twitter. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  7. ^ "Ambassador: UK is working on increasing trade with Belarus". BELTA. 5 February 2020. Retrieved 15 February 2020.
  8. ^ "UK recalls ambassador to Belarus amid unrest". BBC News. 10 October 2020. Retrieved 10 October 2020.
  9. ^ "UK ambassador: World knows little about Belarus' sufferings during war years". BelTA. 23 March 2023. Retrieved 16 October 2023.
  10. ^ "No. 64269". The London Gazette (Supplement). 30 December 2023. p. N27.
  11. ^ "New Year Honours 2024 Overseas and International List: Order of the British Empire". GOV.UK. 29 December 2023. Retrieved 30 December 2023.
Diplomatic posts
Preceded by United Kingdom Ambassador to Belarus
2019–present 		Succeeded by
Incumbent