Press release: Top British Diplomat Visits Tanzania

Sir Simon McDonald, Permanent Under Secretary and Head of Her Majesty’s British Diplomatic Service is on a visit to Dar es Salaam helping to cement the close relationship between Tanzania and the UK, Tanzania’s number one foreign direct investor.

During his 2 day visit, the top diplomat will meet Tanzania’s Foreign Minister Dr Augustine Mahiga and the Permanent Secretary for Trade, Industry and Investment, Prof Mkenda to discuss bilateral issues, investment opportunities and how the UK can further partner with Tanzania. He will visit the Dar es Salaam port to see the port improvement programme funded by the UK’s Department for International Development (DFID) through Trade Mark East Africa and the World Bank, and UK Border Force security assistance with UNODC .

He will meet representatives from the private sector including Ali Mufuruki, head of the Tanzania CEO Round Table, as well as academia and civil society. He will also have the opportunity to listen to the views of some of Tanzania’s young people when he meets DFID’s Youth Panel, a group of young Tanzanian volunteers who advise DFID on policy.

Sir Simon’s visit is part of a regional tour to Rwanda, Uganda and Tanzania.

Speaking ahead of Sir Simon’s visit, British High Commissioner Sarah Cooke said:

This is Sir Simon’s first visit to Tanzania and a chance for him to see, first hand, the strength of the UK/Tanzania partnership across a range of areas. I am delighted he is able to visit Tanzania at this time.

Sir Simon joined the British Diplomatic Service in 1982 and has served in Berlin, Jeddah, Riyadh, Bonn, Washington and Tel Aviv, and in a wide range of jobs in London. Before taking up the role of PUS, Sir Simon served as the British Ambassador to Berlin from 2010 to 2015, the Prime Minister’s Foreign Policy Adviser and Head of Foreign and Defence Policy in the Cabinet Office from 2007 to 2010. From 2003 to 2006 he was British Ambassador to Israel. He was appointed Knight Commander of the Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George in 2014.