Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs

A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy

7th December 2015 Skopje, North Macedonia

Jasmina Risteska

Jasmina Risteska

Chevening Scholar

A rollercoaster experience

“Everyone is different and it is exactly that “being different” that becomes our similarity”as a group of international students in my class concluded. Studying my Masters in the UK was part of my vision board for many years. This finally came true when I became a Chevening scholar. Arriving and settling in a foreign country, […]

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7th December 2015 Khartoum

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by Michael Aron

British Ambassador to Khartoum

16 days of Activism

25th November marked International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women and the start of 16 days of activism against gender based violence. Globally one in three women are subject to violence. That represents one billion women worldwide-which is where the global campaign ‘One Billion Rising’, to address violence against women, gets its name. […]

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7th December 2015 London, UK

Helen Hollands

Programme Manager at Tearfund DRC

How a small group of committed citizens are changing the Democratic Republic of Congo

“I didn’t realise the harm I was doing by abandoning and ignoring these young mothers, now I know. I want to help these girls. I will start today” One in three women worldwide have experienced physical or sexual violence – mostly by an intimate partner. One in three. This statistic shocks and saddens me every […]

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7th December 2015

Chris Barton

Chris Barton

Director of International Trade and Export Control, BIS

Soft Skills in Hard Times videoblog series(III): Chris Barton, BIS

My guest blogger for this post is  Chris Barton, who works as Director of International Trade and Export Control,   within the British Department for Business, Innovation and Skills. In this video, he shares his views on using soft skills in the context of trade negotiations.

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7th December 2015 Beijing, China

Stella Wei

Newton Fund South China Lead

Newton Fund Accelerates South China collaboration with the UK in Science and Innovation

Guest blogger, Stella Wei, Newton Fund South China Lead An initial idea of just me meeting a Newton International Exchanges recipient was upgraded to an official visit led the Consul General of the British Consulate in Guangzhou to the Newton awardee’s host university –South China University of Technology (SCUT), one of the top universities in […]

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4th December 2015 Paris, France

Kate Hart

Kate Hart

Development and climate change officer

COP21: the first week

COP21 conference, Le Bourget, France

When I woke up (at a not very nice time) on 1 December, it was Day 2 of COP21.  Little did I know that by the time I next shut my eyes I would have discussed the chances of success of the climate conference with His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, shook President Hollande’s […]

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4th December 2015 Beijing, China

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by Richard Baker

Newton Fund Strategic Manager

Newton in China, two years on

This week, two years ago, when UK Prime Minister met Chinese Premier Premier Li Keqiang, the UK-China Research and Innovation Fund was announced. With a combined value of £200m over 5 years, both sides committed equally. The UK funding comes from the Newton Fund, which aims to promote economic development and social welfare in partner countries. Newton in China is all about forming […]

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3rd December 2015 London, UK

Paul-André Wilton

Paul-André Wilton

Conflict Policy Advisor at CARE International UK

There can be no bystanders: why gender equality and a life free from violence needs everyone’s support

As part of the 16 Days of Activism against Gender-Based Violence Campaign, CARE International is launching a number of campaigns to highlight the importance of reaching young men while at school in the struggle for gender equality. From the Balkans to the Great Lakes of Africa, youth of all genders are joining together to change […]

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2nd December 2015

Dame Mariot Leslie

Dame Mariot Leslie

Soft Skills in Hard Times videoblog series(II): Dame Mariot Leslie

Last week the embassy organised a seminar as part of the ‘Soft Skills in Hard Times. Remembering the Service of Great Romanian and British Women’ project. Entitled ‘Nothing Quiet on the Eastern and Western Fronts’, the event aimed to focus on the work of Romanian and British women in promoting peace, security and humanitarian support. Guest […]

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