VATICAN CITY -- The new British ambassador to the Holy See, Mrs Sally Jane Axworthy MBE, had an audience with Pope Francis Monday and presented her credentials, the Vatican said.

 Mrs Axworthy succeeds Nigel Marcus Baker, who returned to London for another appointment after a lengthy stint in the Eternal City.

 Mrs Axworthy told Francis that “It will be a great privilege to continue to build on the excellent relations between the United Kingdom and the Holy See, and the many core values that we share. Pope Francis is one of the most, if not the most, respected international leader. People pay attention to what he is saying and doing, and it is important that we engage with him and the global Holy See network.”

 “We share a common agenda with the Holy See and the Catholic network. It’s very relevant to many of the concerns that the world is currently facing: from conflict prevention to dialogue between faiths, freedom of religion or belief, international development, climate change, defeating modern slavery and ending sexual violence in conflict,” the new ambassador continued.

 Mrs Axworthy joined the Foreign Office in 1986, since then her career has taken her to Russia, Ukraine, Germany, and India. Most recently she was the Joint Head of the North Africa Department at the FCO.

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