The British government has appointed Richard Stephen Lindsay as its new special envoy for Afghanistan, the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office announced on Friday.
Lindsay formally assumed the role in June, and his mission will focus on advancing Britain’s diplomatic engagement with Afghanistan on human rights, humanitarian aid and regional stability, according to the statement.
A senior career diplomat, Lindsay has served as deputy director general for Afghanistan and Pakistan at the Foreign Office since 2022. Over the past two decades, he has held a series of high-level posts, including British High Commissioner to Brunei, head of the Security Policy Department and director of strategic engagement.
Earlier in his career, Lindsay managed Britain’s relations with Pakistan and India and was part of the U.K.’s Afghanistan emergency response unit in the early 2000s, giving him extensive experience in international crisis management.
His appointment comes as Afghanistan faces an entrenched humanitarian crisis, increasing political instability and continued repression of women’s rights.
