New British ambassador presents credentials
Britain’s new Ambassador to Argentina Kirsty Hayes presented her diplomatic credentials to the Argentine government this week, as her mission officially got underway.
Hayes, 43, previously served as London’s envoy to Portugal from 2014 to 2018 and replaces popular former ambassador Mark Kent as the UK government’s highest-ranking official in Buenos Aires.
The new envoy arrived in Argentina on September 11, accompanied by her husband, Peter Hayes. After finishing her compulsory period of isolation, in accordance with the national government’s current sanitary measures, she was finally able to present her credentials to Foreign Affairs Secretary Pablo Tettamanti on Thursday at the Palacio San Martín.
“I feel very honoured to be able to represent my country before Argentina, a country with which we have many historical ties and also great opportunities for cooperation in a significant number of areas, ranging from the fight against climate change, the promotion of human rights, respect for diversity and gender equality, and scientific exchanges, as we have seen recently in the development, production and distribution stages of Covid-19 vaccines,” said Ambassador Hayes in a statement.
During her meeting with Tettamanti, Hayes discussed bilateral relations and opportunities, while expressing the UK government’s thanks to President Alberto Fernández for his commitment to attend the COP26 climate change conference in Glasgow in November.
“We are convinced that Glasgow will be a unique opportunity to take actions that limit global warming, and for this the coordinated action of all countries is essential,” said the envoy.
Hayes joined the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in 1999 and has held postings in Washington and Hong Kong, as well as spending three years in Sri Lanka accompanying her husband in his role as High Commissioner.