Karen Pierce, currently Director-General Political at the Foreign
and Commonwealth Office, has been appointed as the new UK Permanent
Representative to the United Nations.
Karen is the first woman appointed to this role, and is uniquely
suited for the position having previously served as Deputy
Permanent Representative to the UN in New York, and more recently
as the Permanent Representative to the UN in Geneva.
The current Permanent Representative, Matthew Rycroft, has been
in the post since 2015 and will handover in January 2018 when he
returns to London to take up his new role as Permanent Secretary
at the Department for International Development.
On being announced as the new Ambassador to the United Nations,
Karen Pierce said:
“The UK has long been a strong supporter of the UN and its
role at the heart of the global rules-based international system
at a time when it is coming under challenge. Through our role as
a permanent member of the Security Council and position as the
UN’s third largest donor, the UK will continue to work with
others to tackle the pressing security, stability, development
and prosperity challenges of today.
Our security and economic interests depend to a large extent
on a strong and effective United Nations. I am honoured to be
appointed as the UK’s Ambassador and to head the UK
cross-government effort at the UN. I undertake to ensure we are
an active force in New York for progress and partnership.
Foreign Secretary said:
“Britain has a proud history of working for positive change
through the United Nations, not least in addressing the problems
in Libya and Syria. I know Karen has the diplomatic skills,
energy and patience to continue this vital work, and I
congratulate her on her appointment.”
Notes to editors
Karen Pierce’s full career history can be found here.
