2nd December 2025
In cybersecurity, there are no limits – only new voices ready to lead
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
14th October 2025
Lost and Found (but mostly lost)
13th October 2025
UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls: September visits to Sarajevo and New York
10th October 2016 Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
World Day against the Death Penalty
Today is World Day against the Death Penalty. With more than 50 years of positive experience of abolition in the UK, we believe that the death penalty neither deters, nor keeps people safer. It is error-prone, and its use in the modern world if often arbitrary and in breach of international standards. It also risks […]
10th October 2016 Singapore
UK’s support on the Low Carbon Agenda in South East Asia
The #GlobalBritain campaign is now in full-gear and this week’s theme on environment features what the UK is doing on the low carbon agenda in South East Asia. It’s a perfect opportunity to introduce other work that the Cross Whitehall Prosperity Fund is supporting in South East Asia; where this year, over 30% of the […]
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10th October 2016 London, UK
Leading the Joint Expeditionary Force – the UK’s Swiss army knife of land, sea and air
Introduction Britain is a leading member of NATO and has strong and enduring defence relationships with partners around the world. In this blog Captain James Parkin RN writes about the capabilities of the UK Joint Expeditionary Force (Maritime) and its role in developing defence and security cooperation: Captain James Parkin I command HMS BULWARK, 176 […]
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10th October 2016 Vientiane, Laos
IS SMALL BEAUTIFUL?
In 1973, the Oxford-educated economist E F Schumacher published his seminal work, “Small is Beautiful”. It was an early critique of globalisation and a clarion call for sustainable development. Over the years, his iconic title has also stirred broader discussion about the comparative merits of smaller and larger organisations. Each has advantages, in my view. But […]
7th October 2016 Tripoli, Libya
Happy 1438!
The Islamic world celebrated the arrival of a New Year this week. It is now 1438. The New Year is not as big as the religious Eid holidays. Nor does it have the social significance of New Year events in other countries where cities compete with each other over the lavishness of their fireworks. In […]
7th October 2016 Vienna, Austria
Give peace a chance
I’m sitting around a table with numerous Ambassadors discussing nuclear security. But we’re not at the International Atomic Energy Agency (IAEA). We’re at the Vienna Center for Disarmament and Non-Proliferation (VCDNP). And instead of sitting in one of the huge semi-circular conference chambers of the Vienna International Centre, we’re on the thirteenth floor of the […]
7th October 2016 London, UK
Taking action on Climate Change
Climate change is the greatest threat facing our generation. We urgently need to take collective action to halt the increase in global temperature and limit the risks posed to our economy and national and global security. I am proud that the UK has led the global transition to a low carbon economy. We were the […]
6th October 2016
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
GOVERNOR’S FAREWELL MESSAGE – OPTIMISM, BUT A NEED TO SHARPEN THE PUBLIC SECTOR AND RETAIN AN OPEN ECONOMY
With grandchildren in Grand Turk After three happy years in the beautiful country of Turks and Caicos Islands, Jill and I will be leaving with great sadness next week, on 10 October – and with great relief that the islands were, unlike others in the region, untouched by Hurricane Matthew. It hardly seems possible that […]
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6th October 2016 Khartoum
First visit by UK special representative to Sudan
Imagine spending a year living beside Africa’s longest river (in El Mansoura, Egypt) and then not seeing those waters again for over thirty years. Imagine falling in love with the culture and people of the Sahel in Senegal and being deeply impressed with the diversity and tolerance of the Islamic tradition in Mali and then […]
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5th October 2016 Geneva, Switzerland
Climbing Up The Walls
The physical experience of going through a Council session feels rather like having your head banged against a wall. It’s nice when it stops, but otherwise not particularly enjoyable. So there was a sense of delirium in the air when we headed out of the doors at a reasonable time last Friday evening. Three weeks […]