Foreign Relations Minister Roberto Álvarez formally received the credentials of the newly appointed British Ambassador to the Dominican Republic, Carol Ann van der Walt.
In a ceremony held at the Ministry of Foreign Relations, Álvarez welcomed van der Walt and the two officials discussed bilateral relations and areas of mutual interest.
Prior to her appointment as ambassador to the Dominican Republic, Van der Walt served in various senior roles within the British Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office, including as deputy head of the Latin America Department and Head of the Crown Dependencies and Overseas Territories team.
Van der Walt joined foreign service through the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) in 1998. She head the Future of Europe team in the FCO in London
Her previous roles included the areas of International Fisheries, IT training policy, and Overseas Security Information for Business (OSIB). Carol has also undertaken other roles focussing on the European Union, including time in the UK Permanent Representation in Brussels dealing firstly with the European Parliament and inter-institutional relations, and then latterly with relations with Latin America and Human Rights.
Carol has a first class joint honors degree in Spanish and Latin from Birmingham University, and a PhD in Medieval Spanish. She is married, with a son and a daughter.
Van der Walt is expected to present her credentials to Dominican President Luis Abinader in the coming days, officially commencing her diplomatic duties in the country.
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Ministry of Foreign Relations
UK Government
21 November 2024