Mark Sedwill
Encyclopedia
Mark Philip Sedwill CMG
MPhil
(born 21 October 1964 in Ealing
) was the United Kingdom Ambassador to Afghanistan from 2009–10 and the NATO Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan in 2010.
in Bourne, Lincolnshire
, becoming the Head Boy. He went to the University of St Andrews
where he gained a Bachelor of Science
(BSc), and later gained an Master of Philosophy
(MPhil) from St Edmund Hall, Oxford
.
(FCO) in 1989 and to 1991 he served in the Security Coordination Department and Gulf War Emergency Unit. He was then based in Cairo 1991-4 as a Second Secretary to Egypt, then First Secretary in Iraq from 1996-97 whilst serving as a United Nations
weapons inspector, then in Nicosia as First Secretary for Political-Military Affairs and Counterterrorism from 1997-99 in Cyprus. He was the Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
(Robin Cook
and Jack Straw
) from 2000-02 in the run up to and preparations for the 2003 Iraq
invasion. He was the Deputy High Commissioner to Pakistan, based in Islamabad
from 2003-5, then the Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa Department of the Foreign Office and then fom 2006-8 he was then International Director of the UK Border Agency
.
.
Commander, US General Stanley A. McChrystal
and then US General David H. Petraeus. He was succeeded temporarily by his predecessor as ambassador, Sherard Cowper-Coles
and then by Sir William Patey
, formerly British Ambassador to Saudi Arabia.
Previous Senior Civilian Representatives were Hikmet Cetin
(Turkey) (2003–2006), Daan Everts (Netherlands) (see :nl:Daan Everts), succeeded by Ambassador Maurits R. Jochems (acting) (The Netherlands) (January-April 2008), and Ambassador Fernando Gentilini of Italy, who served as NATO’s fourth Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan from 2008 to 2010.
Order of St Michael and St George
The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is an order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George, Prince Regent, later George IV of the United Kingdom, while he was acting as Prince Regent for his father, George III....
MPhil
Master of Philosophy
The Master of Philosophy is a postgraduate research degree.An M.Phil. is a lesser degree than a Doctor of Philosophy , but in many cases it is considered to be a more senior degree than a taught Master's degree, as it is often a thesis-only degree. In some instances, an M.Phil...
(born 21 October 1964 in Ealing
Ealing
Ealing is a suburban area of west London, England and the administrative centre of the London Borough of Ealing. It is located west of Charing Cross and around from the City of London. It is one of the major metropolitan centres identified in the London Plan. It was historically a rural village...
) was the United Kingdom Ambassador to Afghanistan from 2009–10 and the NATO Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan in 2010.
Early life
He attended Bourne Grammar SchoolBourne Grammar School
Bourne Grammar School is a co-educational selective state secondary school in Bourne, Lincolnshire. The school has been awarded Arts College Status. It is situated on South Road .-Heraldry:...
in Bourne, Lincolnshire
Bourne, Lincolnshire
Bourne is a market town and civil parish on the western edge of the Fens, in the District of South Kesteven in southern Lincolnshire, England.-The town:...
, becoming the Head Boy. He went to the University of St Andrews
University of St Andrews
The University of St Andrews, informally referred to as "St Andrews", is the oldest university in Scotland and the third oldest in the English-speaking world after Oxford and Cambridge. The university is situated in the town of St Andrews, Fife, on the east coast of Scotland. It was founded between...
where he gained a Bachelor of Science
Bachelor of Science
A Bachelor of Science is an undergraduate academic degree awarded for completed courses that generally last three to five years .-Australia:In Australia, the BSc is a 3 year degree, offered from 1st year on...
(BSc), and later gained an Master of Philosophy
Master of Philosophy
The Master of Philosophy is a postgraduate research degree.An M.Phil. is a lesser degree than a Doctor of Philosophy , but in many cases it is considered to be a more senior degree than a taught Master's degree, as it is often a thesis-only degree. In some instances, an M.Phil...
(MPhil) from St Edmund Hall, Oxford
St Edmund Hall, Oxford
St Edmund Hall is one of the constituent colleges of the University of Oxford in England. Better known within the University by its nickname, "Teddy Hall", the college has a claim to being "the oldest academical society for the education of undergraduates in any university"...
.
Career
He joined the Foreign and Commonwealth OfficeForeign and Commonwealth Office
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office, commonly called the Foreign Office or the FCO is a British government department responsible for promoting the interests of the United Kingdom overseas, created in 1968 by merging the Foreign Office and the Commonwealth Office.The head of the FCO is the...
(FCO) in 1989 and to 1991 he served in the Security Coordination Department and Gulf War Emergency Unit. He was then based in Cairo 1991-4 as a Second Secretary to Egypt, then First Secretary in Iraq from 1996-97 whilst serving as a United Nations
United Nations
The United Nations is an international organization whose stated aims are facilitating cooperation in international law, international security, economic development, social progress, human rights, and achievement of world peace...
weapons inspector, then in Nicosia as First Secretary for Political-Military Affairs and Counterterrorism from 1997-99 in Cyprus. He was the Private Secretary to the Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth Affairs, commonly referred to as the Foreign Secretary, is a senior member of Her Majesty's Government heading the Foreign and Commonwealth Office and regarded as one of the Great Offices of State...
(Robin Cook
Robin Cook
Robert Finlayson Cook was a British Labour Party politician, who was the Member of Parliament for Livingston from 1983 until his death, and notably served in the Cabinet as Foreign Secretary from 1997 to 2001....
and Jack Straw
Jack Straw
Jack Straw , British politician.Jack Straw may also refer to:* Jack Straw , English* "Jack Straw" , 1971 song by the Grateful Dead* Jack Straw by W...
) from 2000-02 in the run up to and preparations for the 2003 Iraq
Iraq
Iraq ; officially the Republic of Iraq is a country in Western Asia spanning most of the northwestern end of the Zagros mountain range, the eastern part of the Syrian Desert and the northern part of the Arabian Desert....
invasion. He was the Deputy High Commissioner to Pakistan, based in Islamabad
Islamabad
Islamabad is the capital of Pakistan and the tenth largest city in the country. Located within the Islamabad Capital Territory , the population of the city has grown from 100,000 in 1951 to 1.7 million in 2011...
from 2003-5, then the Deputy Director for the Middle East and North Africa Department of the Foreign Office and then fom 2006-8 he was then International Director of the UK Border Agency
UK Border Agency
The UK Border Agency is the border control body of the United Kingdom government and part of the Home Office. It was formed on 1 April 2008 by a merger of the Border and Immigration Agency , UKvisas and the Detection functions of HM Revenue and Customs...
.
Afghanistan ambassador
In April 2009 he became the Ambassador to Afghanistan, succeeding Sherard Cowper-ColesSherard Cowper-Coles
Sir Sherard Louis Cowper-Coles KCMG LVO is a British diplomat. From 2009 to 2010 the Foreign Secretary's Special Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, he is now BAE Systems' international business development director, focusing on the Middle East and south-east Asia...
.
NATO in Afghanistan
In January 2010, he was appointed the NATO Senior Civilian Representative to Afghanistan, to be the civilian counterpart to the ISAFISAF
ISAF may refer to:* International Sailing Federation, the world governing body for Olympic and other competitive sailing.* International Security Assistance Force, the NATO-led security mission operating in Afghanistan since 2001....
Commander, US General Stanley A. McChrystal
Stanley A. McChrystal
Stanley Allen McChrystal is a retired four-star general in the United States Army. His last assignment was as Commander, International Security Assistance Force and Commander, U.S. Forces Afghanistan...
and then US General David H. Petraeus. He was succeeded temporarily by his predecessor as ambassador, Sherard Cowper-Coles
Sherard Cowper-Coles
Sir Sherard Louis Cowper-Coles KCMG LVO is a British diplomat. From 2009 to 2010 the Foreign Secretary's Special Representative to Afghanistan and Pakistan, he is now BAE Systems' international business development director, focusing on the Middle East and south-east Asia...
and then by Sir William Patey
William Patey
Sir William Charters Patey KCMG is the British Ambassador to Afghanistan. Patey previously served as Ambassador to Sudan, Ambassador to Iraq and Ambassador to Saudi Arabia.-Early life:...
, formerly British Ambassador to Saudi Arabia.
Previous Senior Civilian Representatives were Hikmet Cetin
Hikmet Çetin
Hikmet Çetin is a Turkish politician former minister of foreign affairs and was leader of the Republican People's Party for a short time. He served also as the Speaker of the Turkish Grand National Assembly....
(Turkey) (2003–2006), Daan Everts (Netherlands) (see :nl:Daan Everts), succeeded by Ambassador Maurits R. Jochems (acting) (The Netherlands) (January-April 2008), and Ambassador Fernando Gentilini of Italy, who served as NATO’s fourth Senior Civilian Representative in Afghanistan from 2008 to 2010.
Special Representative
On 13 April 2011 it was announced that Sedwill would become UK Special Representative for Afghanistan and Pakistan, taking over in early May from Karen Pierce CMG. He will also take up a new position of Director General (Afghanistan and Pakistan) at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office.Personal life
He married in 1999 and has one daughter. He was appointed CMG in 2008 and is a Fellow of the Royal Geographical Society, FRGS.External links
- Panther's Claw in August 2009
- Strategy in March 2009
- http://www.spectator.co.uk/coffeehouse/6701153/coffee-house-interview-mark-sedwill.thtml
- http://www.guardian.co.uk/artanddesign/2011/feb/19/afghanistan-crossroads-exhibition-british-museum