26th February 2026
Different Memories, Shared Futures: Why Inclusive Remembrance Matters for Serbia and the Region
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
22nd December 2025
Continuing to grow the global alliance for women and girls
17th December 2025
MAKING LIFE SAFER, FOR EVERYONE
29th October 2015 Canberra, Australia
Celebrating the very best of British film
Last Monday I was at Parliament House in Canberra for the première of the wonderful British film Suffragette. The evening featured two fantastic performances, the first by Carey Mulligan in the film’s lead role – surely worthy of an Oscar nomination at least. The second was by Ian Smith, our Honorary Consul for South Australia. Epsom-born […]
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28th October 2015 London, UK
Switching on to digital: Presidential elections in Belarus
On 11 October Belarus went to the ballot box to elect its President. Although the official turnout in elections is usually high, engagement is quite low due to poor conditions for political pluralism in the country. International observation missions, such as the Organisation for Security and Co-operation in Europe (OSCE), Office for Democratic Institutions and […]
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28th October 2015
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
The Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (TTIP): Romania’s Voice
I attended earlier this month in Bucharest a conference entitled “TTIP: Romania’s Voice”. It was organised by a Romanian member of the European Parliament named Sorin Moisa, and incorporated the outcome of an interesting national consultation exercise sounding out the views of Romanian businesses towards TTIP. It also provided the opportunity to listen to an […]
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28th October 2015 Gaborone, Botswana
A year after the Botswana 2014 General Elections: A personal experience
A year ago, with election fever gripping the country, and conscious of Botswana’s sound democratic principles and wanting to experience and test them, I left my house in Gaborone at 05:00 so I could be at the opening of a polling station in Lobatse. What immediately struck me was the long queue of citizens, women […]
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28th October 2015 Khartoum
Women, Peace and Security: 15 years on
One of the privileges of being a woman in Sudan has been in being welcomed into the homes of families and spending time with other women. During one of my trips to the North of Sudan, my husband and I were welcomed into a family house near Kerma and as normal I joined the women […]
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28th October 2015
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
The Duke of Edinburgh’s International Award-Türkiye
The student has achieved many immense things. But faced with the arrival of what some people call a VVIP, she is anxious. “What will I say?” she asks. “How is he like?” “Don’t worry,” we tell her. “He is enormously experienced and professional.” We recently had the privilege to welcome to Turkey His Royal Highness […]
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27th October 2015 Tripoli, Libya
On leaving Qatar…
As I complete my time as UK Ambassador in Qatar, I am delighted to see that the historic friendship between Qatar and the UK is now stronger than ever – and set to strengthen even more in the coming years. This is a partnership in it’s true sense. It covers defence, foreign policy, culture, education, […]
26th October 2015 Washington DC, USA
Leaning In To Gender Equality
The UK has a long history of women who have broken barriers and blazed trails for the next generation. From Her Majesty the Queen to Emmeline Pankhurst. From Margaret Thatcher to Anita Roddick. This list goes on. This week is the beginning of a world-wide effort by the UK Foreign Office to mark the contributions […]
26th October 2015 London, UK
Words into Action; Promoting Women’s Leadership
I attended the United Nations General Assembly this year and was struck by the breadth of events designed to promote and protect women’s rights. There were celebrations to mark 20 years since the adoption of the Beijing Declaration and Platform for Action, the best international blueprint for realising women’s rights. We also reaffirmed our commitment […]
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26th October 2015
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Tempus Fugit
I am now in the last three months of my posting to Belarus. The time has passed very quickly. I’m suddenly confronting the need to finish things or put them in order for my successor. I’ve also realised that I haven’t done some things I wanted to do, or been to places that I wanted […]