Cat Evans is a diplomat with 20 years’ experience working primarily for the UK government, specializing in fragile and conflict-affected countries. This includes six assignments in Africa, South Asia and the Middle East, where she worked on a range of political, security, development and humanitarian issues.

Her most recent diplomatic role was as British Ambassador to Mali and Niger (2018-2020), where she oversaw the expansion of the UK’s engagement in the Sahel and was a member of the international mediation for the 2015 Algiers Peace Agreement. Prior to this, she was the UK’s Deputy Head of Mission to Ethiopia (2015-2017), where she was also responsible for coordinating the Government’s security activities in the region and of the United Kingdom’s policy for Somaliland.

Her first assignment was also in Africa, as an advisor to the Ministry of Defense of Sierra Leone (2006-07), responsible for supporting security sector reform. In the meantime, she acted as a policy advisor to senior British military commanders during the Iraq War (2008-09) before being posted to Pakistan to lead British policy towards the tribal border areas, in focusing on the drivers of conflict and understanding the dynamics of the Taliban. In 2011, she joined the British Embassy in Kabul to head the political section, with a particular focus on reconciliation initiatives and regional issues, having first worked on Afghanistan early in her government career (2003- 04).

Returning to the UK, she worked on counter-terrorism for the 2012 Olympics and led a two-year intergovernmental study to examine the impact of the UK’s membership of the EU ( 2012-2014). She also led various crisis management responses on the ground, including the evacuation of British nationals from Libya.

Cat currently works for Independent Diplomat (ID), a non-profit diplomatic advisory group that advises democratic governments, groups and non-state actors.