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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
2nd December 2025
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14th October 2025
Lost and Found (but mostly lost)
15th September 2015
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
International Day of Democracy: Space for Civil Society
“Democracy” can be defined as a universal value based on the freely-expressed will of people to determine their own political, economic, social and cultural systems and their full participation in all aspects of their lives. For countries to build successful and stable democracies, the existence of a strong and freely operating civil society is crucial. […]
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15th September 2015
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
International Day of Democracy
On 15 September each year the UN and its member countries observe the International Day of Democracy. Following last year’s military coup in Thailand the UK and other members of the international community, including the Secretary-General of the UN, called for the early restoration of democracy. That seems even further away now than it did […]
14th September 2015 Havana, Cuba
Civil society; democracy’s oxygen
15 September marks the UN International Day of Democracy, a day on which Governments are encouraged to strengthen national programmes devoted to the promotion and consolidation of democracy. The UN General Assembly resolution establishing the day encourages all member states to bring the day to the awareness of their citizens. The resolution also reaffirms the […]
14th September 2015 Stockholm, Sweden
Hello from SIN Europe!
Welcome, Bienvenue, Välkomna and Hoşgeldiniz to the new blog for the Science & Innovation Network in Europe! We are a diverse group of 22 officers working on science and innovation out of UK Embassies and Consulates across Europe, Russia and Turkey. We report on science and innovation policy developments in our respective countries and run […]
14th September 2015 London, UK
Working towards the future in Rwanda
Last week I visited Rwanda for the first time. It gave me the opportunity to see the remarkable progress that this country has made since the devastating 1994 genocide. In my joint role at the Foreign Office and DFID, I was able to explore the full breadth of the UK’s relationship with Rwanda – a […]
12th September 2015 Colombo, Sri Lanka
In celebration of Her Majesty The Queen: “we are friends, and shall remain so”
On Wednesday 9 September, Her Majesty Queen Elizabeth the Second became the longest reigning monarch in more than a thousand years of British history. She has been on the throne for 63 years and seven months. Although we think of British democracy as old, we have only had universal franchise since 1928, just three years […]
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11th September 2015 Houston, USA
Bugs Without Borders
Globalization, evolving pathogens, and a changing climate pose new challenges for disease control. This past June, the BBSRC, USDA-NIFA, RCUK-US, and UK SIN-US arranged a workshop for scientists and funders from the USA and the UK to meet in Washington D.C., to identify top priorities for research investment within Animal Health and Welfare, including Food Safety, […]
11th September 2015
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
TURKS AND CAICOS VERSUS THE CARIBBEAN: THE WINNER IS…………
One of the best ways of improving a business is to take a careful look at your competitors. I was able to do just that recently, with a short visit to the Eastern Caribbean, where Jill and I saw in a few days holiday what sort of attractions St Maarten (Dutch), St Martin (French), Anguilla […]
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11th September 2015
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Enkuan Aderesachihu! (Happy New Year)
The Ethiopian New Year is an important part of the unique and beautiful Ethiopian culture. It has always been a pleasure for me to be here at this time of year and witness this enjoyable experience. I have served as the UK Ambassador to Ethiopia for approaching four years now. And this Ethiopian New Year […]
11th September 2015 Vientiane, Laos
Laos: River Pleasures
I am happy to be finally able to post my first blog as an UK Ambassador to Laos, and my first blog ever! I come from a generation that grew up without social media, and I am often wondering how we ever managed without it, seeing how much of an important role it now plays […]