Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs

A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy

27th November 2015

Andrew Harrison

Andrew Harrison

Prof Andrew Harrison is CEO of Diamond Light Source, the UK’s synchrotron science facility.

Lighting Up The Past: How cutting-edge synchrotron science is helping to preserve our cultural heritage

History is all around us. From the buildings that adorn our towns and cities to the relics of past civilisations. These objects make up our cultural heritage – providing an insight into what went before us and linking us back to our past. But work is needed to ensure the preservation of historical icons, for […]

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27th November 2015

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by Edward Ferguson

British Ambassador to the Republic of Serbia

Growth, jobs and fairness: The Reform Agenda

Wherever I go in Bosnia and Herzegovina, I try to seek out ordinary citizens, particularly young people, and to talk to them about the new EU strategy, and the Reform Agenda that has come from it. From all these conversations, one thing is very clear: most people really don’t understand what the Reform Agenda is […]

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27th November 2015 Tashkent

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by Chris Allan

Former Ambassador to the Republic of Uzbekistan

St Andrew – the patron saint of Scotland

Scotland’s national day, St Andrew’s Day, is celebrated each year on 30 November. St Andrew was born on the shores of the Sea of Galilee and was the younger brother of St Peter. Both he and his brother became disciples of Jesus. St Andrew has been recognized as the patron saint of Scotland since at […]

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27th November 2015

Adam Sambrook

Deputy Head of Mission

Soft Skills in Hard Times video blog series(I): DHM Adam Sambrook

In the first of this video blog series, my Deputy Head of Mission, Adam Sambrook, shares his views on using soft skills in the context of climate change negotiations. The series is part of the project  ‘Soft Skills in Hard Times. Remembering the Service of Great Romanian and British Women,’ which aims to both commemorate […]

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26th November 2015 Sofia, Bulgaria

Captain Richard Blackwell RN

Captain Richard Blackwell RN

Defence Attaché

Busy Week for UK Defence in Bulgaria

A busy week for UK Defence in Bulgaria this November: Remembrance events in Sofia and Plovdiv and Britain’s newest and most capable warship’s visit to Burgas. Being a non-Resident Attaché to Bulgaria, unfortunately I was unable to attend the Remembrance events but I understand that they were extremely moving and both sites were immaculately presented  – our […]

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26th November 2015

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by Leigh Turner

Ambassador to Austria and UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Vienna

St Andrew’s Day: how Scottish was my great-grandmother?

30 November is St Andrew’s Day, named after the Patron Saint of Scotland. St Andrew offers continuity across cultures: he was crucified at Patras, in modern-day Greece, and his body was taken to Constantinople – present-day Istanbul – before being transferred to Amalfi in Italy in the 13th Century.  He is Patron Saint of Ukraine as well […]

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26th November 2015 Mumbai, India

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by Sheryl Anchan

Science and Innovation Adviser

UK and India’s Prime Ministers shared commitment to tackle antimicrobial resistance

The theory of evolution has always fascinated me since my school days, but I had thought it to be a slow process. The pace at which multidrug resistant microbes have emerged across the world has been surprising! This is a major health crisis in the works. Are we doing enough to tackle antimicrobial resistance (AMR) […]

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25th November 2015 London, UK

Gautham Rao

Gautham Rao

Gautham Rao is an assistant professor of history at American University. His book, National Duties: Custom Houses and the Making of the American State will be published by the University of Chicago Press in 2016.

The start of a beautiful friendship

You’ve probably heard of the War of 1812, but do you know about the Treaty of Commerce and Navigation of July 3, 1815, or ‘A Convention to Regulate the Commerce between the Territories of the United States and of His Britannick Majesty?’ Probably not, especially since the name is so tricky to remember. However, it […]

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25th November 2015 Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

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by Edmund Fitton-Brown

British Ambassador to Yemen

Don’t Leave Half of Yemen’s Population Behind

As a male ambassador, I am not an obvious candidate to promote women’s rights.  But the subject is close to my heart.  I have spent my whole life with brilliant, accomplished women. These include my mother and sister, my wife, daughter and my female friends, colleagues, and professional contacts which included the many Yemeni women […]

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25th November 2015

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by Nigel Baker

Ambassador to the Holy See (2011-2016)

Hope and determination in eliminating violence against women

Today is the International Day for the Elimination of Violence against Women. Between now and 10 December, Human Rights Day, the British Foreign and Commonwealth Office – led by the Prime Minister’s Special Representative on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict, Baroness Anelay – will be focusing on our work to prevent sexual violence against women. […]

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