Rihanna appointed ambassador for her native Barbados

Rihanna has been given an ambassadorial role in her native Barbados.

The singer and entrepreneur will promote education, tourism and investment in her home country.

Rihanna said she was proud to receive the prestigious title and was looking forward to helping “reimagine Barbados”.

As well as her multi-platinum record sales, the 30-year-old singer was hailed for her “significant creative acumen and shrewdness in business” by the Caribbean island’s prime minister, Mia Amor Mottley.

Mottley said: “Rihanna has a deep love for this country and this is reflected in her philanthropy, especially in the areas of health and education. She also shows her patriotism in the way she gives back to this country and continues to treasure the island as her home.”

Already a cultural ambassador for Barbados, Rihanna’s expanded role reflects her “global influence across a much broader range of areas”. Motley also noted her significant charitable contributions at home and abroad.

“I couldn’t be more proud to take on such a prestigious title in my home country,” Rihanna said. “Every Barbadian is going to have to play their role in this current effort, and I’m ready and excited to take on the responsibility.

“I look forward to working with Prime Minister Mottley and her team to reimagine Barbados.”

The singer, who has amassed an estimated net worth of $210m (£160 million), has a number of business ventures alongside her musical career, notably in the worlds of fashion and cosmetics.

She has also carried out international charitable work through her Clara Lionel Foundation, which is named after her grandparents.

The pop star has also been a vocal commentator on political and social issues. In 2017, she was a prominent critic of President Donald Trump’s response to the devastation wrought by Hurricane Maria on Puerto Rico.

The same year she called for an end to gun violence after a cousin was shot dead in Barbados.

In March, she almost singlehandedly wiped $1bn off Snapchat’s value after criticising the app for an advert that appeared to make light of domestic violence.

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