Since independence, with Jaja Wachuku as the first Minister for Foreign Affairs and Commonwealth Relations, later called External Affairs, Nigerian foreign policy has been characterised by a focus on Africa as a regional power and by attachment to several fundamental principles: African unity and independence; capability to exercise hegemonic influence in the region: peaceful settlement of disputes; non-alignment and non-intentional interference in the internal affairs of other nations; and regional economic cooperation and development. In carrying out these principles, Nigeria participates in the African Union, the Economic Community of West African States (ECOWAS), the Non-Aligned Movement, the Commonwealth of Nations, and the United Nations.
The Heads of British diplomatic missions are persons appointed as senior diplomats to individual nations, or international organisations. They are usually appointed as ambassadors, except in member countries of the Commonwealth of Nations where a high commissioner is appointed. The head of mission to an international organisation is usually a permanent representative. For some nations a consul or consul-general is appointed.
Michael Hastings Jay, Baron Jay of Ewelme, is a British politician and former diplomat. He sits as a Crossbench member of the House of Lords, and previously served as Ambassador to France and Permanent Under Secretary at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.
Peter Forbes Ricketts, Baron Ricketts, is a retired British senior diplomat and a life peer. He sits as a crossbencher in the House of Lords.
David Jonathan Robin Angell has been the Canadian ambassador to NATO since 2019. He was the Canadian High Commissioner to Kenya from 2012 until 2016, cross-posted as High Commissioner to Rwanda and Uganda; as Ambassador designate to Burundi, Somalia and South Sudan, and as Canada's representative to the United Nations Environment Program (UNEP) and the United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) in Nairobi.
Sir Robert John Sawers is a British intelligence officer, diplomat and civil servant. He was Chief of the Secret Intelligence Service (MI6), a position he held from November 2009 until November 2014. He was previously the British Permanent Representative to the United Nations from August 2007 to November 2009.
Robert Leigh Turner CMG is a British diplomat who has been British Ambassador to Austria and UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations in Vienna since August 2016. As Ambassador and UK Permanent Representative he writes a regular blog published in English and German.
Sir Mark Justin Lyall Grant, is a former senior British diplomat who was previously the United Kingdom's National Security Adviser and Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the United Nations.
Sir Julian Beresford King is a British diplomat and civil servant who served as Ambassador to Ireland and France and Director General of the Northern Ireland Office. On 8 July 2016, he was nominated by David Cameron to succeed Jonathan Hill as the British European Commissioner. On 2 August 2016, European Commission President Jean-Claude Juncker announced his intention to allocate King the Security Union portfolio. After the approval of his nomination by the European Parliament and the Council of the European Union, he took office on 19 September 2016. With the United Kingdom's withdrawal from the European Union on 31 January 2020, he was the last British official to hold a position and portfolio within the European Commission.
Sir Brian Leon Barder was a British diplomat, author, blogger and civil liberties advocate.
Sir John Oscar Moreton was a British diplomat.
Sir Andrew John Pocock is a British former diplomat who was High Commissioner to Nigeria and Permanent Representative to ECOWAS 2012–15.
Sir Timothy Earle Barrow is a British diplomat who served as Permanent Representative of the United Kingdom to the European Union from 2017 to 2020 and as the British Ambassador to the European Union from 2020 to 2021.
Sir John Adam Thomson, was a British diplomat who served as High Commissioner to India and Permanent Representative to the United Nations.
Sir Adam McClure Thomson is a Director of the European Leadership Network, a pan-European think tank based in London. Sir Adam is a British former diplomat who served as Permanent Representative to NATO between 2014 and 2016.
Sir Philip Robert Barton is a senior British diplomat, currently the Permanent Under-Secretary of the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office. He was previously British High Commissioner to India; he was High Commissioner to Pakistan from 2014 to 2016.
Dame Sarah MacIntosh is a British diplomat who is the British Ambassador to NATO. She previously served as High Commissioner to Sierra Leone and Ambassador to Liberia from 2006 to 2008.
NneNne Iwuji-Eme is a British diplomat. In March 2018, she was appointed to be the High Commissioner of the United Kingdom to Mozambique and took up her post in July 2018 in succession to Joanna Kuenssberg. She is the first black woman to represent the United Kingdom as a high commissioner.
Catriona Wendy Campbell Laing is a British civil servant and diplomat who is High Commissioner to Nigeria.
