11th May 2026
The Biodiversity Beyond National Jurisdiction Bill: turning a global ocean agreement into UK law
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
9th April 2026
The Gulf, Berlin and the Commission on the Status of Women: building global alliances to advance women’s progress
26th February 2026
Different Memories, Shared Futures: Why Inclusive Remembrance Matters for Serbia and the Region
1st August 2016 Mumbai, India
Coming soon: UK-India workshop on industrial biotechnology
Enzymes, fermentation, biocatalysis, and bioprocesses are oft-discussed topics under the umbrella of industrial biotechnology. The UK has a lot to offer in this increasingly relevant area for emerging economies such as India which has heightened interest in efficient manufacturing processes. The UK has several centres of excellence in industrial biotech. For instance, consider the Industrial […]
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1st August 2016 Holy See
Time of transition
“There can be only one” – not only the tag-line from the “Highlander” movies, but also the rules about Ambassadors accredited to each State. There can only be one official Ambassador in a country at a time. So there is always a gap between one leaving and the next arriving – which is another opportunity […]
1st August 2016 Bangalore, India
AMR: New seed funding to help teams enter the Longitude Prize
On 25 July I attended a workshop and ideathon on the Longitude Prize and Discovery Awards at Centre for Cellular and Molecular Platforms(C-CAMP), Bangalore . The Discovery Awards are a new seed fund to help teams progress ideas for a transformative diagnostic test that will help combat Anti-Microbial Resistance (AMR) by significantly reducing inappropriate use […]
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1st August 2016 Canberra, Australia
Race and a Fair Go
Last week, we hosted David Lammy MP on a visit to Australia. He came here as part of his review into possible racial bias against BAME (Black, Asian, Minority Ethnic) people in the British criminal justice system. This work was commissioned by former PM David Cameron, and has the full endorsement of our new PM […]
31st July 2016 Havana, Cuba
Chevening Scholarships in Cuba – our 23rd year
Around this time of year, I get to work on one of my favourite parts of the job – Chevening Scholarships. These provide fantastic opportunities for professionals from over 160 countries and territories, including Cuba, to go to the UK for a year to study a master’s course, fully funded by the UK Government and […]
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29th July 2016 London, UK
Rio 2016: one week to go!
Yes, one week to the Opening Ceremony. Readers who were in London during 2012 will remember what this means: a strange mix of public anxiety – worries about public transport, traffic, readiness of the city been questioned, problems, problems and problems; and also private excitement as the event gets closer. Rio is no different – […]
29th July 2016
Collaboration on a global stage
As well as being the UK’s national weather and climate service, the Met Office works internationally in support of the delivery of UK government policy and as part of our commitment to improving global weather and climate provision. Collaboration is integral to achieving these aims and includes working with other parts of UK government. As […]
26th July 2016 Geneva, Switzerland
The UK has always supported the WTO and that won’t change
Some have asked whether Britain’s decision to leave the EU will affect the World Trade Organisation. And the answer is that, in perhaps the most important respect, nothing will change. Britain helped found the WTO, has been a leading supporter while in the EU, and is set to remain one of its leading supporters when […]
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26th July 2016 Bangalore, India
Interview with Prof Simon Croft
Manjari Chakravorty, Knowledge Economy Adviser in Kolkata had the opportunity to interview Prof Simon Croft, Professor of Parasitology in the Faculty of Infectious and Tropical Diseases at the London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine (LSHTM), and the first and former R&D Director of the Drugs for Neglected Diseases Initiative (DNDi), Geneva. Prof Simon was […]
26th July 2016 New Delhi, India
Newton Fund spearheading UK’s science and innovation partnership with India
Last month I was at the 5th UK-India Science and Innovation Council meeting in London where the UK’s Minister for Science and Universities Jo Johnson welcomed his counterpart from India Dr Harsh Vardhan to jointly assess the collaborations between the two countries in the areas of science and innovation. Both the ministers met at the […]
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