Colin Roberts (diplomat) explained

Honorific-Prefix:His Excellency
Colin Roberts
Office:Governor of the Falkland Islands
Commissioner for South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands
Term Start:29 April 2014
Term End:12 September 2017
1Blankname:Chief Executive
1Namedata:Keith Padgett
Barry Rowland
Predecessor:Nigel Haywood
Successor:Nigel Phillips
Office1:Commissioner of the British Indian Ocean Territory and the British Antarctic Territory
Term Start1:23 June 2008
Term End1:17 October 2012
Monarch1:Elizabeth II
Predecessor1:Leigh Turner
Successor1:Peter Hayes
Office2:British Ambassador to Lithuania
Term Start2:2004
Term End2:2008
Monarch2:Elizabeth II
Predecessor2:Jeremy Hill
Successor2:Simon Butt
Birth Date:31 July 1959
Spouse:Camilla
Children:Oliver (b. 2002), Alexander (b.2004)

Colin Roberts (born 31 July 1959)[1] is a British diplomat and the former Governor of the Falkland Islands and former Commissioner of the South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands.[2] [3]

Biography

Roberts was born on 31 July 1959. He was educated at Winchester College, then an all-boys independent boarding school in Winchester, Hampshire. He studied English literature at King's College, Cambridge, graduating with a Bachelor of Arts (BA) degree: as per tradition, his BA was promoted to a Master of Arts (MA Cantab) degree. He then studied at The Courtauld Institute of Art, completing a Master of Philosophy (MPhil) degree in 1982.[4]

He previously served as British Ambassador to Lithuania,[5] from 2004 to 2008, Commissioner of the British Indian Ocean Territory and the British Antarctic Territory from 2008 to 2012[6] and Director of the FCO Eastern Europe and Central Asia Directorate from 2012 to 2014. Roberts also held diplomatic service posts in Japan and France.

In April 2010, Roberts, acting on the instructions of David Miliband[7] —established a marine nature reserve around the Chagos Islands known as the Chagos Marine Protected Area.[8] The designation proved controversial as the decision was announced during a period when the UK Parliament was in recess.[9] [10]

In December 2012 it was announced that Roberts had been appointed Governor of the Falkland Islands and Commissioner for South Georgia and the South Sandwich Islands, to take up office in April 2014.[2] Alicia Castro, Argentina's ambassador to the United Kingdom, criticised Roberts's appointment as a "provocation" and said he was "not the person to encourage dialogue between nations".[11]

In June 2017 the Foreign and Commonwealth Office announced that Roberts would be leaving the Falklands, to be replaced as Governor and Commissioner by Nigel Phillips in September 2017.[12]

Notes and References

  1. Web site: Colin Roberts, CVO . . 2013-09-07.
  2. Web site: Change of Governor of the Falklands Islands . 2012-12-21 . . 2013-09-07.
  3. News: Falklands Governor Colin Roberts takes office next Tuesday 29 April . MercoPress . 28 April 2014 . 29 April 2014 .
  4. Web site: Roberts, Colin, (born 31 July 1959), HM Diplomatic Service, retired; Senior Adviser (EU Exit), UK Governance Group, Cabinet Office, 2017–19 . . Oxford University Press . 21 November 2023 . en . 1 December 2022.
  5. Web site: FCO Daily Bulletin Wednesday 14 January 2004 . 2004-01-14 . gov-news.org . 2013-09-07 . https://archive.today/20130907161126/http://www.gov-news.org/gov/uk/news/fco_daily_bulletin_wednesday_14_january_2004/63377.html . 7 September 2013 . dead .
  6. Web site: British Indian Ocean Territory . Worldstatesmen.org . 2013-09-07.
  7. Web site: Press Association. 11 June 2013. Chagos Islands marine park is compatible with law, high court rules. guardian.co.uk. 12 June 2013. Press Association.
  8. Web site: Welcome to the Chagos Conservation Trust | Chagos Conservation Trust . Protectchagos.org . 2012-06-21 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20120119044248/http://protectchagos.org/ . 2012-01-19 .
  9. Web site: Rincon . Paul . BBC News - UK sets up Chagos Islands marine reserve . . 2010-04-01 . 2013-08-01.
  10. Web site: Mauritius to reiterate its conditions for renewed talks with UK on Chagos . 2011-12-23 . dead . https://web.archive.org/web/20111223113708/http://www.afriqueavenir.org/en/2010/05/14/mauritius-to-reiterate-its-conditions-for-renewed-talks-with-uk-on-chagos/ . 2011-12-23 .
  11. News: Castro . Alicia . 3 March 2014 . Britain's new 'governor of the Falkland islands' is a provocation . . 8 March 2014 .
  12. Web site: Change of Governor of the Falklands Islands . 2017-06-30 . . 2017-08-05.