KUALA LUMPUR: The new British High Commissioner-designate to Malaysia, Ailsa Terry who is set to begin her duties effective Thursday (Aug 10) here is looking forward to doing more with Malaysia to strengthen bilateral trade between both countries.
Terry, who is already here with her family to assume her new posting, said both the United Kingdom (UK) and Malaysia will benefit in terms of trade from their first-ever Free Trade Agreement facilitated through the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP) to which the UK recently became a signatory.
“I am thrilled to be in Malaysia, a beautiful and diverse country with such a long-standing and important relationship with the UK. This is an exciting time for both the UK and Malaysia as we build a modern partnership based on our many shared interests, and I have a brilliant team to work with,” she said in a statement provided to BERNAMA by the British High Commission here.
Terry, who is married and has twin sons, is succeeding Charles Hay and is expected to present her credentials to the Yang di-Pertuan Agong Al-Sultan Abdullah Ri’ayatuddin Al-Mustafa Billah Shah later this month.
Before assuming the role of High Commissioner, Terry served as the Director of the Foreign, Commonwealth, and Development Office (FCDO)’s inaugural Sanctions Directorate from 2022 to 2023, which she established as part of the UK’s response to Russia’s illegal invasion of Ukraine.
Terry had also served as the Foreign Affairs Sous-Sherpa and Director in the UK’s FCDO during the UK’s Presidency of the G7 in 2021. She also worked in the National Security Secretariat in the Cabinet Office, which supports the work of the UK National Security Council.
Throughout her tenure in the British diplomatic service, she has been posted to Islamabad and the UK Mission to the European Union (EU) in Brussels. Terry was also the Political Adviser to the EU Special Representative to Afghanistan in 2011.
Commenting further, Terry believes that there is significant potential for the UK and Malaysia to work more closely together to boost trade, education, and tech relationships, tackle the climate emergency, and uphold the international rules-based system.
“There are also opportunities to strengthen our defence partnership, including through the Five Power Defense Arrangements (FPDA),” said the diplomat, who holds a degree in English Literature from Oxford University.
“I also look forward to working with Malaysia on important issues affecting regional security, stability, and prosperity, especially during the Malaysian chairmanship of Asean in 2025,” she added. – BERNAMA
