Verna Mills, also known as Verna Morris-Mills,[1] is a diplomat from Saint Kitts and Nevis. She is currently the country's ambassador to Cuba, the first woman to hold that role. She also serves as the non-resident ambassador to Ghana, South Africa, and Kenya.
Biography
editMills was born in Basseterre, Saint Kitts, and grew up in Tabernacle. After attending primary and secondary school in Saint Kitts, she left in 1999 to study in Cuba, earning her bachelor's degree in philology from the University of Santiago de Cuba in 2005.[2][3]
After returning to Saint Kitts later that year, she joined the Ministry of Foreign Affairs as a junior foreign service officer, working on the Latin America desk.
In 2013, she graduated with a master's in diplomacy and international relations from the Diplomatic School of Spain.[2]
As a foreign service officer, Mills helped establish Saint Kitts and Nevis' embassy in Havana in 2014.[4] She was subsequently named as the chargé d'affaires at the embassy in May 2015, a role she held for two years.[1][2][5]
In September 2017, she was appointed as ambassador to Cuba, becoming the first woman to hold this position and the youngest ambassador of Saint Kitts and Nevis at the time. She was only the second accredited resident ambassador in the history of the diplomatic relationship with Cuba.[3][6][7]
In July 2019, Mills was named non-resident ambassador to Ghana and South Africa.[7] Then, in December 2019, she was also appointed as the first non-resident high commissioner of Saint Kitts and Nevis to Kenya. She continues to be based in Cuba but serves as ambassador from her base there, in part via the countries' embassies in Havana themselves.[8][9] She has been involved in diplomatic relations with various other countries via Havana, including Belarus.[10]
References
edit- ^ a b "St. Kitts and Nevis diplomat in Cuba celebrates 33rd Anniversary of Independence". Times Caribbean. 2016-09-29. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
- ^ a b c "Ms Verna Morris: Federation's Chargé d'affaires to Cuba". My Vue News. 2015-07-06. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
- ^ a b Ragbeer, Tanya (2017-10-01). "St Kitts Nevis appoints female Ambassador to Cuba". Caribbean National Weekly. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
- ^ "Meet Verna Morris St.Kitts-Nevis' New Chargé d'affaires to Cuba". Times Caribbean. 2015-07-06. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
- ^ "Government Proud of Track Record of Female Empowerment". Times Caribbean. 2017-03-09. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
- ^ "St. Kitts and Nevis Ambassador presents credentials to Cuban Vice President". Times Caribbean. 2017-09-27. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
- ^ a b "Ambassadors Tross and Mills Receive Additional Responsibilities to Better Serve St. Kitts and Nevis". Times Caribbean. 2019-07-04. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
- ^ "H.E. Verna Mills accredited as First Non-Resident High Commissioner of Saint Kitts and Nevis to Kenya". Times Caribbean. 2019-12-05. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
- ^ "St Kitts-Nevis accredited Ambassadors receive additional responsibility". WIC News. 2019-07-03. Retrieved 2020-10-12.
- ^ "Republic of Belarus and St.Kitts-Nevis sign visa waiver agreement". Times Caribbean. 2018-11-04. Retrieved 2020-10-12.