NAIROBI, Kenya – Matt Baugh has arrived in Nairobi to assume office as the new British High Commissioner following his official appointment on April 7, 2026.
Baugh succeeds Neil Wigan who left the post in August 2025 to take up a senior role at the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO) in London.
Since Wigan’s departure, the British High Commission in Nairobi has been under the leadership of Ed Barnett in an acting capacity as Chargé d’Affaires, pending the arrival of a substantive envoy.
A seasoned diplomat, Matt Baugh brings extensive experience in conflict and migration policy, having previously served as the UK Ambassador to Somalia between 2010 and 2013, as well as holding senior positions at the FCDO, including Director for Migration and Conflict.
His appointment comes at a strategically significant moment in UK-Kenya relations, with both countries preparing for the mid-2026 renegotiation of their Defence Cooperation Agreement.
In a statement, the new envoy emphasized on strengthening UK–Kenya relations through a “vital strategic partnership focusing on practical cooperation that delivers real results for Kenyan and British people.”
Baugh is expected to focus on strengthening regional security cooperation, deepening trade and investment ties under the UK–Kenya Strategic Partnership, and advancing flagship projects such as Nairobi Railway City.
He is also anticipated to engage on longstanding issues surrounding the British Army Training Unit Kenya (BATUK) in Nanyuki, which has periodically drawn public scrutiny.
With his arrival, the UK signals continuity in its diplomatic priorities in Kenya, while also entering a critical phase of bilateral engagement shaped by security, economic, and governance considerations.
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