Tuesday May 20, 2025 {HMC} The United Kingdom’s newly appointed ambassador to Somalia, Charles Nicholas King, arrived in Mogadishu on Monday, officially assuming his role as the UK’s top envoy to the Horn of Africa nation.
King, who was named ambassador in February 2025, succeeds Michael Nithavrianakis, who had served in the position since May 2023.
“Wheels down in Mogadishu. Honoured to begin my role as the UK’s Ambassador to Somalia. I look forward to working with Somali partners and learning more about this incredible country,” King wrote on X (formerly Twitter) upon his arrival.
A career diplomat, King has served in the UK’s Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) since 2004, holding key positions across multiple regions. Most recently, he was the Joint Head of the Israel/Occupied Palestinian Territories (OPTs) Gaza Taskforce (2023–2024), overseeing diplomatic responses to regional instability. From 2020 to 2023, he served as Head of the Levant and North Africa Department and the UK Special Representative for Syria, shaping British policy in the Middle East.
King has also held diplomatic postings as Counsellor for Foreign Policy and Strategic Affairs in Paris (2017–2020), Deputy Head of the Political Section in Baghdad (2009–2010), Head of the Syria Office in Istanbul (2012–2015), and Second Secretary for Political and Economic Affairs in Damascus (2008–2009). He also served as Chief of Staff to Jonathan Powell, the Prime Minister’s Special Representative for Libya (2015–2016).
