Further memorandum submitted by the Foreign
and Commonwealth Office
Letter to the Clerk of the Committee from
the Parliamentary Relations and Devolution Department, Foreign
and Commonwealth Office, 28 March 2003
REORGANISATION OF DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATION
IN WEST AFRICA
I am writing to inform you that in response
to changes in our strategic priorities and in the pattern of British
interests overseas the Foreign Secretary has decided to make some
changes to our diplomatic representation in West Africa. I attach
the written statement (Annex A) which he intends to put before
the House on 31 March.
In West Africa we are constantly reviewing our
network to ensure that resources are deployed where they are most
needed. As part of this reorganisation, we intend to close the
Embassy in Bamako, but retain a UK office, in order to reconfigure
other parts of our African network. Given the importance the UK
attaches to stability and promoting peace in the Mano River Region,
we intend to open a one-person office in Monrovia later this year
and to upgrade our office in Conakry to an Embassy.
We believe that these small changes to the reorganisation
of our work in West Africa will allow us to respond to changing
priorities without damaging the UK's influence or effectiveness
in these regions in any significant way.
Parliamentary Relations & Devolution Department,
Foreign and Commonwealth Office
March 2003
Annex A
Foreign and Commonwealth Office Written
Ministerial Statement, 31 March 2003
REORGANISATION OF
DIPLOMATIC REPRESENTATION
IN AFRICA
The Secretary of State for Foreign and Commonwealth
Affairs (Mr Straw):
Changing strategic priorities require the Foreign
and Commonwealth Office constantly to adapt and amend its pattern
of representation overseas. In order to free resources to strengthen
the UK's diplomatic network in other parts of the world now more
critical for UK interests, I have decided to make the following
adjustments to our diplomatic representation in West Africa. With
effect from early summer, the Embassy in Bamako will be closed.
We intend to retain a UK office there. Given the importance the
UK attaches to stability and peace in the Mano River region, we
intend to open a one-person office in Monrovia later this year,
and upgrade our office in Conakry to an Embassy.
| 
