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
3rd November 2015 London, UK
What happens now when you need an emergency travel document?
One of the biggest and most important transactions run by the Foreign Office is emergency travel documents. An emergency travel document will get you home if you are abroad and your passport is unavailable for one reason or another. Yesterday we saw British businessman Tom somehow losing his passport at the airport between passport control […]
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3rd November 2015 Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
Women of the Future – Week of Women Summit 2015
Ms Stephanie Koh, a Shell Engineer, was selected to represent Brunei as a future woman leader to attend the Week of Women Summit in London 2015. Read her guest blog about her experience at the week long Summit. I am very privileged to have been nominated by Brunei Shell Petroleum Co. and selected by the […]
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3rd November 2015 Beijing, China
Catching future Nobel winners early
Much of what we do in the Science and Innovation Network in China (and perhaps globally) produces short and medium term eye-catching results: our tech partnering missions generate collaborations and multi-million pound contracts ; our GREAT promotional events attract large audiences from across China; we’re racking up the number of joint centres and joint laboratories […]
2nd November 2015 USA
Having It All
Identity is complicated. As a British-Indian representing the UK overseas I had spent more time spelling my name than talking about gender. But that changed in 2011 when I became the first female British Consul General to San Francisco. A year later, I had the privilege of joining some of the brightest young Americans at […]
2nd November 2015 Havana, Cuba
Starting from Scratch
This excellent blog was written by Chevening scholar Osmel Barreto who arrived in London just one month ago to study for an MSc in IT and Strategic Innovation. Osmel tells us about his experience of cultural change and having to learn how to do so many new things all at the same time. Thanks for […]
2nd November 2015 Havana, Cuba
Cuba & FIHAV; Trade and Investment in a Tough Neighbourhood
This week sees FIHAV take place. As in previous years, hundreds of companies from all around the world will converge on Havana, brandishing their wares and exhibiting their widgets. This year though FIHAV will be even bigger and even better. The rapprochement between the US and Cuba, the new investment law and the launch of […]
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2nd November 2015 Chevening, UKSkopje, North Macedonia
Conquering Civil Liberties: From Magna Carta to Carta Macedonia
“The human right to freedom is irrevocable. No person’s freedom can be restricted except by a court decision or in cases and procedures determined by law” is one of the guarantees of the Macedonian constitution of 1991. Unlike British history, Macedonian history does not have its own historical declarations of human and civil rights, however […]
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2nd November 2015
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Crimes against journalists
Today, 2 November, is ‘International Day to end impunity for crimes against journalists.’ This really matters, for Turkey as for every country. As I wrote in my blog of 2 October about Ahmet Hakan, Turkey: media freedom, stability, security, ‘democracy, human rights and the rule of law are essential to peaceful, resillient and prosperous societies. […]
2nd November 2015
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Nostra Aetate: An appeal for our times
Nostra aetate (trans. “In our Time”) was the shortest of the many official documents that emerged from the Second Vatican Council. It was sub-titled “Declaration on the Relation of the Church with Non-Christian Religions”. Passed by an overwhelming majority of the bishops present, and promulgated by Pope Paul VI on 28 October 1965, the Holy […]
2nd November 2015 London, UK
Digitising the emergency travel documents application process
One of the biggest and most important transactions which the FCO runs is emergency travel documents. An emergency travel document can help you get back home if you don’t have your passport for one reason or another. It has all sorts of users including: People who have lost their passport when travelling Expatriates who have […]
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