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 June 2016 Canberra, Australia
Modern diplomacy: Working the Network
When I joined the Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO), a former Ambassador gave me a piece of advice that I remember to this day. He said that a diplomat is only as good as their network. It stuck with me, because he was right. To be an effective diplomat, you need great networks. No […]
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9th June 2016 London, UK
Promoting Human Rights
As the Foreign Office’s Social Media Manager I spend much of my time distilling the intentionally nuanced and traditionally multilayered world of diplomacy into something engaging and consumable. Case in point: The Foreign Office’s (FCO) annual flagship Human Rights and Democracy Report comprises around 50 pages of expert analysis of the issues the world and […]
9th June 2016 Jeddah, Saudi Arabia
Ramadan: An opportunity for peace
This week saw the start of the holy month of Ramadan. A time for reflection, for spending time with family and friends and for peace. However, this year many Yemenis will be spending Ramadan without adequate food, water, shelter, electricity and healthcare and fearing for the safety of their loved ones. This month, like the […]
8th June 2016
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Celebrating The Queen at the Holy See
Like other embassies and high commissions around the world, the British Embassy to the Holy See took the opportunity this week to celebrate Her Majesty The Queen’s 90th birthday. In traditional British fashion, our garden party was accompanied by a downpour of rain, but it didn’t appear to dampen the spirits of the many guests […]
8th June 2016 Minsk, Belarus
Celebrating children
I wanted to talk to you today about a great event that we had yesterday which was Queen Birthday Party for children. It’s an idea that I had in March when I was finishing my Russian lesson. And at the school where I learned Russian at the weekend they mostly teach English to children here, […]
7th June 2016
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Barbara Knowles MBE
I attended a moving event on 31 May at the top of the hill in the eastern Carpathians named Pogany-Havas, the Pagan Snow Cap. Friends and villagers had walked up from the pass below to commemorate the life of British environmentalist Barbara Knowles, who sadly passed away earlier this year. Barbara was one of the […]
7th June 2016 Chennai, India
But I love it……
I know it’s been too long since a wrote a blog. It’s hard to think of subjects any readers might be interested in (as always, feedback welcome!) and to prioritise the time. But I’m very conscious that I’m halfway through my posting (sorry, you’re stuck with me to Summer 2018), which is a real driver […]
7th June 2016 New Delhi, India
UK-Punjab research helping produce green fuel from rice waste
I recently visited Punjab Agricultural University (PAU), which is India’s second oldest agricultural university, and saw how a partnership with a UK university is helping converting rice crop wastage into a sustainable energy source. Rice is widely grown crop in India and on harvest it leaves behind a substantial amount of straw in the field. […]
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7th June 2016 Mumbai, India
Potential UK – India collaborations in precision medicine
Earlier this month, I joined the UK Science & Innovation Network as Adviser. I’m based in the British Deputy High Commission, Mumbai. It’s been a few weeks now since I started and I’ve already made peace with Mumbai’s hectic pace. One of the themes I will be exploring this year is precision medicine. It’s an […]
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6th June 2016 Geneva, Switzerland
Humanity’s Great Project
Each of the three annual sessions of the UN’s Human Rights Council has its own character. This reflects the issues that everyone knows will dominate the session. But each member of the Council also has their own priorities, too. The June session of the Council starts on 13 June and runs to Friday 1 July. […]