Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs

A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy

5th August 2015 Dushanbe, Tajikistan

by UK in Tajikistan

The men on board of female-led economic initiatives

ABSTRACT: In the nearly 500 female-led self-help groups established in the frame of the Regional Migration Programme in Tajikistan women and men closely work together. This cooperation is promoted by the 71 male self-help group members in the Sughd Province. The predominance of male emigrants has placed over the last years many Tajik women as […]

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4th August 2015 London, UK

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by Baroness Anelay

Foreign Office Minister for Human Rights

FCO – Abolition of the death penalty remains high priority

There has been much written this week about the UK’s position on the death penalty. Most has been inaccurate and I want to set the record straight. It remains Government policy to oppose the death penalty in all circumstances as a matter of principle and this has not changed. Our view is clear. We believe […]

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3rd August 2015 Havana, Cuba

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by Tim Cole

Former British Ambassador to Cuba

3 great reasons to study in the UK, just in case you needed them

Applications for Chevening scholarships for 2016-17 are now open. Chevening is the British government’s scholarship to study a one-year master’s course in a British university. You can apply here. Don’t worry; you don’t have to rush as you’ve got until the beginning of November to complete your application. But do make sure your application is […]

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31st July 2015 Havana, Cuba

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by Tim Cole

Former British Ambassador to Cuba

Cuban summer reading

A lot of people ask me which are the best books written about Cuba. This year, more than ever it seems, people are interested. The rapprochement between Cuba and the United States, the two countries re-opening embassies after 54 years, the Cuban government’s steady economic reforms; all of this, and the thought that it will […]

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31st July 2015 Beirut, Lebanon

Tom Fletcher

by Tom Fletcher

Former British Ambassador to Lebanon

So…Yalla, Bye

Tom Fletcher

Dear Lebanon, Sorry to write again. But I’m leaving your extraordinary country after four years. Unlike your politicians, I can’t extend my own term. When I arrived, my first email said ‘welcome to Lebanon, your files have been corrupted’. It should have continued: never think you understand it, never think you can fix it, never […]

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29th July 2015 Skopje, North Macedonia

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by UK in North Macedonia

Voicing the public interest in Macedonia

Having in mind the recent political developments in the country, it has never been more important to deconstruct the meaning of the term Public interest. It seems that the term has various meanings, depending on who you ask, and whose interests are on the line. In general, public interest involves matters, or policies that affect […]

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29th July 2015

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by Nigel Baker

Ambassador to the Holy See (2011-2016)

Remember the kidnapped in Syria

“How do you define an extremist?”. I once asked this question of a wise friend of mine, who was always critical of imprecise language used by journalists to describe people who held different views. “An extremist”, he said, “is someone incapable of seeing the good in the other. He must therefore dedicate himself to attacking […]

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