Fiona Watson

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Fiona Watson (1968 - August 19, 2003) was a Scottish political affairs officer working in Vieira de Mello's office who was killed along with other members of UN staff in the Canal Hotel bombing in Iraq, on the afternoon of August 19, 2003.

She had a first class honours degree from Heriot-Watt University in Edinburgh, and an MPhil in 'International relations and Ballistic studies' from the University of Cambridge, where she was part of Darwin College.

Prior to joining the UN, Fiona worked with the European Commission and for a period with the Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe. During her career with the UN Fiona had been involved in many of the world’s hot spots, including Bosnia and Kosovo: Fiona worked in the UN Interim Administration Mission in Kosovo to Bernard Kouchner the UN's special representative to Kosovo. An experienced linguist, she worked in a prominent capacity with the UN for almost four years as a political analyst. At the time of her death she was political affairs officer on the staff of the Special Representative of the UN Secretary General to Iraq Sergio Vieira de Mello.

Fiona’s family and friends set up The Fiona Watson Memorial Fund to provide bursaries for final year students at her first university, Heriot-Watt, to enable them to spend a year with the UN or a similar international organisation.