Dr Alastair McPhail CMG OBE

Biography

Dr Alastair McPhail is the UK government’s Envoy for the UK-African Investment Summit 2024.

Previously Dr McPhail was the British Ambassador to Ethiopia and Djibouti (non-resident) and Permanent Representative to the African Union and UN Economic Commission for Africa from January 2019 to January 2023. Before this, he was Director of Communication at the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office.

Dr McPhail served as Her Majesty’s Consul General to Jerusalem from January 2014 until July 2017. Dr McPhail has worked in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office for 24 years. He was Ambassador to South Sudan from independence on 9 July 2011 until his departure in March 2013. Prior to becoming Ambassador to South Sudan he was Consul General in Juba from March 2011 until South Sudan became independent and the Consulate General was upgraded to a sovereign Embassy.

Dr McPhail has served in a number of roles in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office, many of which focused on conflict resolution. Find out more about Dr Alastair McPhail.

Previous roles in government

  • British Ambassador to Ethiopia
    • 2019 to 2023
  • British Consul General Jerusalem
    • 2014 to 2017
  • British Ambassador to South Sudan
    • 2011 to 2013