Kanbar Hossein-Bor

Biography
Kanbar Hossein-Bor is a senior British diplomat and international lawyer, currently serving as the British High Commissioner to Fiji.
He previously led the UK Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office’s Democratic Governance Department and served as the UK’s Media Freedom Co-ordinator. In this role, he helped launch the UK Government’s flagship global campaign on media freedom, co-founding the Media Freedom Coalition—now comprising over 50 countries—and establishing a landmark international fund in partnership with the United Nations. He also chaired the Freedom Online Coalition’s Taskforce on Internet Shutdowns, galvanizing international action on digital rights.
Kanbar has held senior diplomatic and legal roles. He served as Deputy High Commissioner to Bangladesh, led the UK’s international law team in The Hague as Agent to the International Court of Justice, headed the human rights team in Iraq, and was deployed as Acting Head of Mission in Liberia during the Ebola crisis.
Before joining the Foreign Office, Kanbar practiced constitutional and criminal law as a barrister and is a Lord Denning Scholar of Lincoln’s Inn. He holds an LLM in international law from Cambridge University and is a Yale World Fellow (2016).
A passionate advocate for inclusion and public service, Kanbar regularly speaks at schools and public forums in the UK and abroad about his journey as a child refugee and the importance of diversity in leadership. He is also a devoted Liverpool FC supporter and enjoys padel, football, rugby, and watching MMA.
Social media links
British High Commissioner to Fiji
The High Commissioner is the UK government’s representative in a Commonwealth nation. They are responsible for the direction and work of the High Commission and its Deputy High Commissions and/or Consulates, including political work, trade and investment, press and cultural relations, and visa and consular services.
Previous roles in government
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British Deputy High Commissioner to Bangladesh