By chatnewstv.com
LONDON — Jo Lomas has been appointed His Majesty’s Ambassador to the Republic of Estonia, the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO) announced Tuesday. She is set to succeed Ross Allen, who will be transitioning to a new role within the Diplomatic Service.
Lomas, a veteran diplomat with over three decades of experience, is scheduled to take up her post in Tallinn in July 2026. She currently serves as the Deputy Director for the FCDO’s Europe Directorate, a role she assumed in 2025 following a four-year tenure as the United Kingdom’s Commonwealth Envoy.
The appointment comes at a pivotal time for UK-Estonian relations, which are currently anchored by a shared commitment to regional security and NATO defense. Outgoing Ambassador Ross Allen recently emphasized the embassy’s focus on military cooperation, stating, “For the embassy, our biggest priority is actually supporting our military presence here and the forward land forces battlegroup.”
Lomas brings an extensive international background to the position. Her career has spanned several continents, including high-profile roles as the British High Commissioner to Rwanda (2018–2021) and Namibia (2015–2017). During her time in Kigali, she was noted for her work on Commonwealth issues and bilateral progress, describing Rwanda as a country where she was “constantly impressed by the progress being made but also by the openness… to innovations and technology.”
Her earlier career includes diplomatic stints in Sarajevo, Damascus, and Baghdad, where she served as a Press Officer and Special Assistant to the Head of the UN Special Commission (UNSCOM) in 1997. She also spent five years at the UK Mission to the World Trade Organization (WTO) in Geneva.
The UK and Estonia have maintained strong diplomatic ties since re-establishing relations in 1991. The two nations frequently collaborate on initiatives related to cybersecurity, e-government, and the defense of the Baltic region.
Lomas joined the then-Foreign and Commonwealth Office in 1993. She holds a degree in political science from the University of Bristol and a postgraduate diploma in business studies from the Open University. She is a speaker of both Arabic and Bosnian.
