Diplomat
26th February 2016 London, England
It is pretty rare these days for a British Ambassador or equivalent not to engage in social media – something that sets us apart from the vast majority of other countries’ emissaries (with notable exceptions). But at a time when diplomacy has progressively less to do with government to government (G2G) interaction and more to […]
Read more on Nation Shall Tweet Tweets Unto Nation…. | Reply (3)
14th December 2015
Time to move on and let someone else take a turn. This is my last day in extraordinary Ethiopia as the British Ambassador. Goodbyes are never easy, but I have had an amazing four years getting to know this place – full of hospitable people and outstanding experiences. But as is common for most diplomats, we […]
23rd November 2015
Poor sanitation threatens everyone’s health. It is sad to hear that an astonishing 2.4 billion people throughout the world do not have access to a toilet and have to practice open defecation. November is considered a very special month in Ethiopia regarding sanitation. I’m sure that visitors would have observed the sky over Addis full of […]
Read more on Hygienic sanitation would avoid unnecessary deaths | Reply (1)
6th November 2015
Two weeks ago all UK eyes were on China’s State visit to the UK. But the Chinese weren’t the only ones in town building commercial ties. It was also a week for Ethiopia in London, with a number of events where Ethiopia showcased their recent economic success and future potential. I joined Ethiopia’s Foreign Minister […]
Read more on Ethiopia – a huge opportunity for UK investment | Reply
29th September 2015
Digital Diplomacy is a key part of our work in the UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office. We are encouraged to use social media and become closer to our audiences, to engage with and listen to them – it helps us reach a much wider range of stakeholders than through traditional methods of diplomacy. I started […]
Read more on Social Media & Ethiopia: a discussion with some top ‘influencers’ | Reply
15th September 2015
“Democracy” can be defined as a universal value based on the freely-expressed will of people to determine their own political, economic, social and cultural systems and their full participation in all aspects of their lives. For countries to build successful and stable democracies, the existence of a strong and freely operating civil society is crucial. […]
Read more on International Day of Democracy: Space for Civil Society | Reply
11th September 2015
The Ethiopian New Year is an important part of the unique and beautiful Ethiopian culture. It has always been a pleasure for me to be here at this time of year and witness this enjoyable experience. I have served as the UK Ambassador to Ethiopia for approaching four years now. And this Ethiopian New Year […]
20th August 2015
Yesterday was World Humanitarian Day. Geographically and geopolitically Ethiopia lies at the heart of a deeply unstable region, with neighbouring Somalia, South Sudan, Sudan and Eritrea all engaged in conflicts. Enjoying comparative peace for some time now, it has been hosting refugees since the 1990s. But recent times have seen a dramatic rise in the […]
18th August 2015
Our 2015/16 Ethiopian Chevening Scholars will be heading off to begin their year’s study at top #UK universities in few weeks’ time. This year we were able to offer places to 12 scholars (11 Ethiopians and one Djiboutian). Those who were selected fought off strong competition, making the final cut from over 300 applications. I […]
Read more on Future Chevening leaders in the making! | Reply
15th July 2015
Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia, is delighted; it has been preparing for months to welcome the 5000 or so high profile international guests (including Heads of States, Ministers and other special representatives of countries) attending the Third Financing for Development Conference (FFD3). And so far, so very good! The UK’s delegation, led by Justine […]
Read more on Ethiopia hosting FFD3: A testament to progress in eradicating poverty | Reply