Press release

Change of High Commissioner to Mozambique

Ms Joanna Kuenssberg has been appointed British High Commissioner to Mozambique.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government
Joanna Kuenssberg

Joanna Kuenssberg

She will succeed Mr Shaun Cleary, who will be transferring to another Diplomatic Service appointment. Ms Kuenssberg will take up her appointment during April 2014.

Ms Kuenssberg joined the FCO in 1997 as a Europe specialist, after working on EU assistance programmes in the European Commission, and spent the next seven years on a range of EU political and economic issues. On returning from Paris, she worked closely with the Department for International Development and other government departments, as well as non-governmental organisations and businesses, to promote and extend responsible business practice especially in the extractives sector. This was followed by a project to use new technologies to develop more responsive consular services.

For the past three years, Ms Kuenssberg has covered Africa and other foreign policy issues in Lisbon, as well as politics and economics.

On her appointment as British High Commissioner to Mozambique, Ms Kuenssberg has said:

I am honoured and delighted to be appointed as British High Commissioner to Mozambique. Mozambique is a valued Commonwealth friend and I look forward to working to strengthen our countries’ relationship even further, especially in support of our shared agenda of political and economic development.

Curriculum vitae

Personal details
Full name: Joanna Kate Kuenssberg
Marital status: Married
Children: Three sons
Period Post
Aug 2010 - present Lisbon, Deputy Head of Mission
Jan 2010 – July 2010 Lisbon, Chargé d’Affaires
May 2010 – Aug 2010 Full-time language training (Portuguese)
Mar 2010 – May 2010 FCO, Policy Unit
Nov 2009 – Feb 2010 Full-time language training (Russian)
Jul 2008 – Nov 2009 FCO, Project Manager, Consular Strategy Programme
Aug 2004 – Aug 2007 FCO, Business Team Leader, Global Business/Sustainable Development & Business Group
Feb 2001 – Aug 2004 Paris, First Secretary (EU/Economic)
May 2000 – Jan 2001 Secondment to Quai d’Orsay, EU Directorate
May 1999 – Apr 2000 Secondment to Hungarian Ministry of Foreign Affairs
Jul 1997 – Apr 1999 FCO, Deputy Head of Enlargement Section, EU Department
1997 Joined FCO
Aug 1996 – June 1997 European Commission, Project Manager (EU enlargement)
Oct 1995 – Aug 1996 Department of Environment, Desk Officer

Further information

UK and Mozambique

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Published 21 November 2013