British High Commission

Miss Abbott-Watt will succeed the current, non-resident High Commissioner, Ms Melanie Hopkins, who will remain British High Commissioner to the Republic of Fiji.

She will take up her appointment during February 2020.

Miss Abbott-Watt has wide diplomatic experience since beginning her career in Britain's Foreign Service in 1974 and in 2019 served as the Queen's Ambassador in Turkmenistan.

The British embassy is re-opening in Tonga after being closed for nearly 13 years.

The British governments' Foreign and Commonwealth Office says Mr Robin Ord-Smith has been appointed High Commissioner to the Kingdom of Tonga, as it reopens its residence in Nukuʻalofa.

He succeeds the current, non-resident High Commissioner, Ms Melanie Hopkins, who will remain High Commissioner to the Republic of Fiji.

Mr Ord-Smith is expected to take up his appointment soon.

He has wide diplomatic experience since beginning his career in Britain's Foreign Service in 1989 and is currently the Queen's Ambassador in Kyrgyzstan.