Press release

Change of British High Commissioner: Alison Thorpe

Ms Alison Thorpe has been appointed British High Commissioner to the Republic of Rwanda.

Ms Alison Thorpe has been appointed British High Commissioner to the Republic of Rwanda in succession to Mr Omar Daair OBE, who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Ms Thorpe will take up her appointment during September 2024.

Curriculum vitae         

Full name: Alison Heather Thorpe

Place of birth: Lichfield, Staffs          

Spouse or Partner: Reuben Thorpe

Children: 2

Year Role
2022 – present  Head of Africa Department Central and Southern and Special Envoy to the Great Lakes
April 2022 to Aug 2022  FCDO, Director Transformation
2020 to 2022  FCDO, Deputy Director for Culture and Engagement
2019 to 2020  FCO, Deputy Director, Prosperity Fund Global Trade and Business Environment Programme
2018 to 2019  FCO, Deputy Director Africa Strategy
2014 to 2018  FCO, Africa Directorate, Head of Africa Strategy and Network Unit
2010 to 2014 Stockholm, Deputy Head of Mission
2006 to 2009 Skopje, Deputy Head of Mission
2005 to 2006  Maternity leave
Jan 2005 to Sept 2005  FCO, Counter Terrorism Department, Head of Al Qaeda, Middle East and Africa Section
2003 to 2004 FCO, Assistant Private Secretary/Minister for the Middle East
2002  FCO, PS to the Political Director
1998 to 2001  Beirut, Third Secretary Political
1997 to 1998  Geneva, UK Mission, Assistant Desk Officer

Further information

All the latest news is available on the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office page of the gov.uk website at: www.gov.uk/fcdo

Media enquiries

Email newsdesk@fcdo.gov.uk

Telephone 020 7008 3100

Contact the FCDO Communication Team via email (monitored 24 hours a day) in the first instance, and we will respond as soon as possible.

Published 12 February 2024