Dr Alastair McPhail CMG OBE

Dr Alastair McPhail CMG OBE

Dr Alastair McPhail is the UK government’s Envoy for UK African Summits, and the United Kingdom Envoy for:

•  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

• Dr Alastair McPhail on Twitter

Envoy for the UK-African Investment Summits

UK-AIS 2024 will bring together political and business leaders from the UK and invited countries, as well as representatives of international and regional organisations, between 23 and 24 April 2024.

Over the coming months Dr McPhail will hit the ground running and engage with governments and organisations invited to the Summit to listen to their expectations, build partnerships, and start to make mutually beneficial opportunities for the UK and African partners a reality.

He has extensive experience of working with – and in – African countries. Most recently he was British Ambassador to Ethiopia, which included the role of Permanent Representative to the African Union and the UN Economic Commission for Africa – from January 2019 to January 2023. He will work with Michael Tatham CMG – who has been appointed Chief Executive Officer for the Summit – to deliver the event.

The official Twitter channel for the Summit has also launched, which will be the source for information and updates about the Summit, as well as showcase UK-African partnerships.

Minister for Africa and Development Andrew Mitchell, said:

The UK-African Investment Summit 2024 aims to promote two-way trade and investment between the UK and African countries, creating jobs and growth. Our Summit Envoy will play a key role in developing the partnerships, based on respect and mutual benefit, that will lie at the heart of the Summit.