British High Commissioner to Kenya Neil Wigan OBE will step down at the end of August after two years in the role, to take up a senior leadership position at the UKโs Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London.
The career diplomat has been appointed Director General for Strategy and Delivery at the FCDO, a move marking the latest chapter in a 20-year career representing Britain abroad.
Wigan, who arrived in Nairobi in 2023, described his time in Kenya as โa whirlwind two yearsโ during which the bilateral partnership between the two countries โwent from strength to strengthโ in areas ranging from trade and investment to cultural exchange and defence cooperation.
Under his tenure, the UK and Kenya witnessed several high-profile developments.
These included the historic visit of King Charles III in 2023 โ his first state visit to a Commonwealth country since ascending the throne โ and the signing of a new KenyaโUK Strategic Partnership aimed at boosting cooperation in economic growth, climate action, security, and people-to-people links.
The UK also supported the training of Kenyan marines, invested in major infrastructure projects such as the Nairobi Railway City, and worked with Kenyan partners to advance technology and innovation initiatives.
Reflecting on his diplomatic journey, Wigan highlighted moments that gave him a deeper appreciation of Kenyaโs diversity and potential.
โFrom taking part in a Maasai elders meeting, to seeing how UK support is helping establish women-led businesses in Wajir, from the tea plantations of Bomet County to the Silicon Savannah, Iโve no doubt that Kenyaโs future is bright,โ he said.
The High Commissioner noted he had visited most of Kenyaโs 47 counties and expressed regret at not having covered them all.
โKenya and the UK are going far, together, and it has been incredibly rewarding to be part of that journey,โ he added, signing off with a Swahili farewell: Asanteni sana na kwaherini.
The British High Commission in Nairobi has not yet named Wiganโs successor.
His departure will mark the end of a posting in which UKโKenya relations saw tangible policy agreements alongside increased cultural and economic engagement.
Before his Nairobi posting, Wigan served as British Ambassador to Israel, High Commissioner to Nigeria, and Ambassador to Somalia, among other diplomatic roles.
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