Stephanie Jane Al-Qaq (born 3 March 1976) is a diplomat who has served as

British Ambassador to Brazil The Ambassador of the United Kingdom to Brazil is the United Kingdom's foremost diplomatic representative in Brazil and the head of the UK's diplomatic mission in Brazil. The official title is ''His Britannic Majesty's Ambassador to the Federa ...

since 2022. She previously served as the Iran Envoy and Director of Iran and Regional Security in 2022.

Early life and education

Al-Qaq was born on 3 March 1976. She is a graduate of the University of Birmingham and the School of Oriental and African studies, University of London.

Career

Between 1998 and 2002, Al-Qaq worked for several corporate, non-governmental and governmental organisations including Reuters,

Amnesty International Amnesty International (also referred to as Amnesty or AI) is an international non-governmental organization focused on human rights, with its headquarters in the United Kingdom. The organization says it has more than ten million members and sup ...

, Human Rights Watch, the House of Commons and the

Department for International Development , type = Department , logo = DfID.svg , logo_width = 180px , logo_caption = , picture = File:Admiralty Screen (411824276).jpg , picture_width = 180px , picture_caption = Department for International Development (London office) (far right ...

where she worked in several countries in the Middle East, Europe and in the Americas. Al-Qaq joined the

Foreign and Commonwealth Office The Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) is a Departments of the Government of the United Kingdom, department of the Government of the United Kingdom. Equivalent to other countries' Ministry of Foreign Affairs, ministries of fore ...

in 2002 and was a Desk Officer for Counter Narcotics until 2003. She was then a Desk Officer for Iraq from 2003 to 2004 and from 2004 to 2006 was the Assistant Private Secretary to the Minister of State for the Middle East, Counter Terrorism and Consular. Al-Qaq was a political counsellor in Brazil from 2007 to 2012 and a Minister Counsellor in Mexico City from 2013 to 2015. She was Deputy Head of Mission to Abu Dhabi from 2015 to 2019, Director of the Middle East and North Africa Directorate from 2019 to 2021 and Iran Envoy and Director of Iran and Regional Security in 2022. She became the

in November 2022, succeeding Peter Wilson.

Personal life

She is married to political scientist Dr Kareem Richard Al-Qaq with whom she has three children.

Honours

She became a

Companion of the Order of St Michael and St George The Most Distinguished Order of Saint Michael and Saint George is a British order of chivalry founded on 28 April 1818 by George IV, George IV, Prince of Wales, while he was acting as prince regent for his father, George III, King George III. ...

the in the

2023 New Year Honours The 2023 New Year Honours are appointments by some of the 15 Commonwealth realms to various orders and honours to recognise and reward good works by citizens of those countries. The New Year Honours are awarded as part of the New Year celebration ...

for services to British Foreign Policy.

References

{{Reflist Living people 1976 births Companions of the Order of St Michael and St George 21st-century British diplomats