Dr Erja Askola is the new European Union (EU) Ambassador to Jamaica, assuming duties immediately having presented her credentials yesterday to Governor General, Sir Patrick Allen and Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade Minister, Senator Kamina Johnson Smith.

Ambassador Askola arrived in Jamaica from the regional EU Delegation to the Pacific in Fiji, where she was accredited to 13 Pacific Island Countries. She is no stranger to the Caribbean, as she managed Caribbean-EU trade relations in her former functions and co-chaired their Trade Committee for two years before taking up her diplomatic postings.

Ambassador Askola remarked, “This is a highly inspiring moment to start my term, as we prepare to celebrate 50 years of diplomatic relations in 2025 and enter a new era of 21st-century relations.” Jamaica and the EU share a long history of cooperation as political, economic and development partners. 

According to her, “Jamaica is a key ally of the European Union in international fora for addressing global challenges and for upholding democratic values, multilateralism and the rules-based international order.” 

Building stronger partnership of equals 

Declaring that the European Union will strive to continue building an even stronger partnership of equals, the incoming top EU diplomat in Jamaica states, “I’m eager to work in partnership with the Government of Jamaica to strengthen our partnership dialogue and to advance our shared values and common priorities. Our main focus will be on climate change, green and digital transitions, trade and investments, citizen security and human development, as Jamaica aims to move up the development ladder and work towards the Sustainable Development Goals.”

She concluded by praising Jamaica’s unique features saying, “I couldn’t be more pleased to spend my four-year tenure in Jamaica, known all over the world for its natural beauty, rich and vibrant culture, as well as its resilient and friendly people.” Dr Askola has solid experience in the European Union’s external relations and diplomacy, from political and trade negotiations to matters relating to sustainable development.

Ambassador credentials

In her various functions in EU institutions, she has developed a specific interest in Small Island Development States (SIDS) in Africa, the Caribbean and the Pacific. Prior to her career in the European Union, she worked as an international business lawyer at an American law firm in Paris. Dr. Askola holds a PhD in Law from the European University Institute of Florence, Italy, with a semester-long research assignment in New York University. 

She earned Master’s degrees from the Sorbonne University of Paris, the Graduate Institute of International Affairs of Geneva, and the University of Helsinki. She speaks Finnish, English, French, Spanish and Italian and has studied German and Swedish as well.