UK names new envoy to Iraq
ERBIL (Kurdistan 24) – The United Kingdom has appointed Stephen Charles Hitchen as the country’s new envoy to Iraq, replacing the outgoing Ambassador Mark Bryson-Richardson, the British government announced on Wednesday.
The top diplomat will be inaugurated in his new role in July this year, a statement from the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) read.
Before being named for the position, Mr. Hitchen had served as the director of the counter-terrorism department at the UK's FCDO.
"The mission of our embassy is to help our friends in Baghdad and Erbil to strengthen the prosperity, stability, and sovereignty of Iraq," the upcoming ambassador said in a video message released by the British Consulate General in Erbil.
بە خۆشحاڵییەوە ڕایدەگەیەنین کە ستیڤن هیچن @SHitchenFCDO وەک باڵیۆز لە کۆماری عێراق دەستنیشانکرا. بە خۆشحاڵیەوە لە مانگی تەمموزدا بەخێرهاتنی دەکەین بۆ عێراق! https://t.co/1FYX2OlJ72 pic.twitter.com/ao4JEmVLbW
— UK in Erbil (@ukinerbil) June 21, 2023
Bryson-Richardson was appointed in July 2021 for the ambassadorship role in Iraq, where he had previously served as deputy head of mission.
Britain shares close economic, political, and cultural ties with both Kurdistan Region and Iraq, the UK diplomats have highlighted on several occasions.
As a notable member of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS – Daesh, the Arabic acronym – the UK has been supporting the Kurdish and Iraqi forces in their fight against the terror group, whose reign in the country has resulted in millions of internally displaced people and thousands of casualties.
British military personnel are part of the comprehensive reform program at the Ministry of Peshmega Affairs, aimed at modernizing the troops and unifying them under the leadership and command of the ministry.
A number of Peshmerga members have received intensive training courses at the elite Royal Academy of Sandhurst.
At least 18 Peshmerga officers on Monday graduated from a 12-week English-language course, sponsored by the UK, at the University of Kurdistan-Hawler (UKH), to improve the language skills of the Kurdish troops.