by croatiaweek
August 31, 2025
in
(Photo: Office of the President of Croatia / Filip Glas)
The United Kingdom’s new ambassador to Croatia, Javed Patel, has officially begun his mandate.
Ambassador Patel presented his credentials to the President of Croatia, Zoran Milanović, at the Presidential Office in Zagreb this week. He was accompanied by Deputy Ambassador Samantha Dunger and Defence Attaché Colonel Andrew Rupert Adrian Higgs.
Following the formal ceremony, the British Embassy in Zagreb released a short video message in which Ambassador Patel introduced himself to Croatian citizens in Croatian.
(Photo: Office of the President of Croatia / Filip Glas)
“Good afternoon! I am Javed Patel, the new British Ambassador to Croatia. I arrived a few days ago, but I have been preparing for this job and learning Croatian for months. I want to visit every part of your beautiful country. I want to learn Croatian even better,” he said in Croatian, expressing his enthusiasm for his new role.
Patel joined the UK Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office in 2007, specialising in national security and counter-terrorism. He has held senior diplomatic roles in several countries, including serving as Political Counsellor in Baghdad from 2012 to 2014 and as Deputy Ambassador to Bangladesh between 2020 and 2023.
Most recently, before his appointment to Croatia, he worked on efforts to support British citizens seeking to leave Gaza.
You can watch the video below.