Alastair King-Smith
Biography
Alastair King-Smith is British Ambassador to Albania. He took up his posting in August 2021, after a year’s language training in Albanian. He has been a diplomat since 1996.
Alastair previously served in the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office in London as Deputy Director, including as: Head of International Engagement in the UK’s cross-government Taskforce on Coronavirus (2020); Co-ordinator for the Global Campaign for Media Freedom and co-chair of the Media Freedom Coalition, which he set up to champion media freedom globally, as well as on UN elections (2019 to 2020); Head of International Counter Extremism and co-chair of the working group of the Global Counter Terrorism Forum on countering violent extremism (2015 to 2018); Head of Strategic Campaigns and Planning (2013 to 2015), overseeing the UK’s communication campaigns on foreign policy issues, including the counter-Daesh Coalition’s strategic communications efforts.
Alastair’s postings overseas have been primarily in the Middle East, Africa and South Asia, including short tours as Deputy High Commissioner to Nairobi over the Kenyan elections in 2013, as Deputy Ambassador to Tel Aviv in 2012 working on the Israeli-Palestinian conflict, as well as in Pakistan, Iraq, Sudan, Libya and Egypt, where he studied Arabic.
As Head of Near East Group, he was responsible for the UK’s policy towards the Middle East Peace Process and for relations with Lebanon, Jordan, Israel and Palestine. Alastair helped establish the UK Government’s Stabilisation Unit to assist countries affected by conflict. He is a founding Trustee of the charity Kids for Kids, helping children in rural areas of Darfur, and a Trustee of the Next Century Foundation, promoting dialogue for peace.
Alastair holds an MA Hons degree in Classics from Cambridge University, Trinity College. He speaks Albanian, Arabic, Brazilian Portuguese and French.
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British Ambassador to Albania
The Ambassador represents His Majesty The King and the UK government in the country to which they are appointed. They are responsible for the direction and work of the embassy and its consulates, including political work, trade and investment, press and cultural relations, and visa and consular services.