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View all search resultsTwo ambassadors under one roof
We’ve experienced first-hand how diplomacy is built not just in meeting rooms, but over meals, stories, laughter, passionate discussion and shared hopes and ambitions.
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United Kingdom Ambassador to ASEAN Sarah Tiffin (right) and her husband, Ireland Ambassador to Indonesia, Timor-Leste and ASEAN Pádraig Francis attend a gathering in Jakarta. (UK Mission to ASEAN)
W
e have had the unprecedented good fortune to serve simultaneously in Jakarta as two ambassadors from different countries—Ireland and the United Kingdom, married to each other, and bringing our family with us to Indonesia.
We arrived in Jakarta four years ago with a deep personal curiosity about a country and a region we did not know. And we now leave with huge affection for Indonesia, and for ASEAN.
During our time here, our paths and work have often overlapped —in our shared home (hosting many joint events), but also in our shared aim: To deepen cooperation, listen with respect and support the region’s own vision for peace, prosperity and resilience.
Sarah
As only the second UK ambassador to ASEAN (and the first woman) it has been a privilege to build a new relationship as ASEAN’s newest dialogue partner.
Over the past two and a half years, I’ve worked closely with the ASEAN Secretariat, all ten member states and Timor-Leste to implement over 95 percent of the first ever ASEAN-UK Plan of Action. We have delivered in partnership in areas such as climate, the digital economy, regulatory reform, education, health security, maritime cooperation and much more. Together we are building a thriving partnership grounded in mutual respect and shared priorities.
We aim to deliver growth and opportunity for people in ASEAN, but also for people in the UK, from British scientists collaborating on pandemic preparedness, to UK students engaging with Southeast Asian cultures, to businesses innovating across borders. Our dialogue partnership with ASEAN is creating new links, and new opportunities. This is what modern diplomacy looks like: Shared success built on shared values.
