MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS AND FOREIGN TRADE
2 Port Royal Street, Kingston
MEDIA RELEASE
Johnson Smith Appoints Envoys to Belgium and CARICOM
As Jamaica maintains its strong presence and participation in regional and global affairs, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade, Senator the Honourable Kamina Johnson Smith, has named two of the country’s most seasoned career diplomats to represent Jamaica at the highest levels.
The appointees are Mrs. Diedre Mills, who will serve as Ambassador-designate to the Kingdom of Belgium and Head of Mission to the European Union, and Ambassador Esmond Reid, who has been appointed as Jamaica’s Plenipotentiary Representative to the Caribbean Community (CARICOM).
“Both diplomats have demonstrated exceptional dedication to public service and bring with them decades of experience in advancing Jamaica’s foreign policy objectives. I have full confidence in their ability to navigate complex international environments, build strategic partnerships and effectively advocate for Jamaica’s interests on issues ranging from trade and development, to regional cooperation and global diplomacy” says Minister Johnson Smith.
Ambassador-designate Diedre Mills is a career diplomat with more than twenty-five years in the Jamaican Foreign Service. She has held several senior assignments, including as Jamaica’s Deputy Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN) in New York and Deputy High Commissioner at the Jamaican High Commission in London. She has also led key departments at the Ministry, including the Multilateral Affairs and Bilateral Relations departments. Mrs. Mills is a Chevening Scholar and United Nations Disarmament Fellow. She has served as Jamaica’s lead negotiator in major global processes, including the UN High Seas Treaty and disarmament negotiations. She holds a Master of Business Administration in Public Administration from Columbia Southern University, a Postgraduate Diploma in Diplomatic Studies from Oxford University, and a Bachelor of Science in International Relations from the University of the West Indies, Mona. Mrs. Mills will lead Jamaica’s Mission in Brussels at a time when partnerships with the European Union and the Organisation of African, Caribbean and Pacific States (OACPS) hold critical importance to Jamaica’s trade, investment and development cooperation. She will also serve as non-resident Ambassador to several other countries in the Western Europe.
Ambassador Esmond Reid brings over three decades of diplomatic experience, with a strong background in trade negotiations and multilateral affairs. He recently served as High Commissioner to Nigeria, with concurrent accreditation to several West and Central African countries. Ambassador Reid has held senior leadership roles within the Ministry, including as Under-Secretary for Foreign Trade,
and has represented Jamaica in key multilateral forums such as the World Trade Organization, the United Nations, and CARICOM. He holds a Master of Business Administration in International Business from Schiller International University, and a Bachelor of Science in International Relations from the University of the West Indies, Mona. His appointment as Jamaica’s Ambassador to CARICOM comes ahead of Prime Minister Holness’s assumption of the Chairmanship of the Conference of Heads of Government in July, and at a time when regional governments are working to deepen integration and advance key priorities within the CARICOM Single Market and Economy (CSME). Both senior diplomats are expected to assume duties imminently.
