Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs

A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy

13th March 2015

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by Nigel Baker

Ambassador to the Holy See (2011-2016)

Two years of Pope Francis

With some surprise, I have just woken up to the fact that we are celebrating two years since the election of Pope Francis, the first Pope from the New World. It is a cliché, but it really does seem just the other day that I – along with everyone else – was waiting for the […]

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12th March 2015 Jeddah, Saudi Arabia

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by Edmund Fitton-Brown

British Ambassador to Yemen

Human Rights: at the Heart of the Yemeni People

This is my first blog as the UK’s Ambassador to Yemen. Sadly, I am unable to be based in Yemen due to the security situation. But our work continues apace – currently from London, although I hope to be opening an office, outside Yemen but in the Middle East, soon. Today the Foreign and Commonwealth […]

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12th March 2015

by Peter Tibber

Ambassador to Colombia

International Women’s Day: My “Week for Women”

Guest blog by Chloe Hamborg, Head of Political Section It has been educative and inspirational to hear comments of writers and activists from around the world this week on the theme of women’s rights, in recognition of International Women’s Day on 8 March. My “Week for Women” started on Saturday evening, attending an event at […]

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12th March 2015

by Peter Tibber

Ambassador to Colombia

DFID Minister’s reflections on Sudan Visit

Guest blog by Baroness Northover, UK’s Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for International Development I have just returned from Sudan, one of the first countries I have visited since my appointment as a minister in the UK Department for International Development (DFID). I’m pleased to have visited Sudan so early in my job. We have […]

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12th March 2015 Budapest, Hungary

by Jonathan Knott

Former British ambassador to Hungary, Budapest

Ladies and… ladies

Guest blog by Theresa Bubbear, Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Budapest. It’s not often that I have a good idea.  And when I heard myself suggesting a speed mentoring event to mark International Women’s Day this year I wasn’t sure if it was a good idea or a crazy one. It […]

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12th March 2015

Mark Kent, the British Ambassador to Thailand

by Mark Kent

British Ambassador to Argentina

Annual Human Rights Report for 2014

Today the UK launches its Annual Human Rights Report for 2014, the purpose of which is to increase awareness of the UK’s role in promoting human rights worldwide, as well as to influence countries to take more concrete steps to meet their international human rights obligations. Why does the UK place such a high priority […]

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12th March 2015 Beirut, Lebanon

Tom Fletcher

by Tom Fletcher

Former British Ambassador to Lebanon

Tolerating the Intolerable: Syria, Four Years On

On the first anniversary of the Syria conflict, I wrote about the staggering impact it had already had – those numbers seem small now. On the second anniversary, I wrote about the generosity of Syria’s neighbours and parts of the international community, the frustrations of diplomacy, and the need to maintain a sense of rage. […]

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11th March 2015

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by Sarah Dickson

Ambassador to Guatemala (June 2012 - June 2015)

Súbete al bus de la Semana Británica 2015

La Semana Británica que llevamos a cabo en Guatemala ha sido siempre nuestra forma de mostrar lo mejor de nuestra nación. La parte más difícil es reducir las posibilidades de todo lo que podemos hacer a solamente una semana. Eso significa que llevamos a cabo una gran variedad de eventos que cruzan las líneas culturales, […]

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