9th December 2025
Why We Need Data, Courage, and Community
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
2nd December 2025
In cybersecurity, there are no limits – only new voices ready to lead
14th October 2025
Lost and Found (but mostly lost)
23rd December 2014 Sofia, Bulgaria
Reminiscences of Bulgaria
by Andrew Bache Andrew Bache hadn’t always intended to join the diplomatic service and working for the Foreign Office wasn’t his intention in his early years. But having worked for a large accountancy company, he decided that accountancy wasn’t really his calling and felt himself drawn to the work at Foreign Office. His job there eventually […]
23rd December 2014 Jerusalem, Israel
Olives are the bread and butter for Palestinians
There is no escaping olive trees in this part of the world. Olives appear on every table. Olive oil is liberally poured on every dish. The unmistakeable shape of olive trees lines every hillside. Even the Christmas ornaments I hung on my tree last week are fashioned out of olive wood. The olive tree is […]
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23rd December 2014 Colombo, Sri Lanka
The Underwater Wave
Our seventh blog looks at the impact of the tsunami on marine life, and particularly the turtles for which Sri Lanka is famous. Dudley Perera founded the Kosgoda Sea Turtle Conservation Project when he left school in 1988. He writes about recovering from the tsunami and the continuing threats to turtles. Situated on Sri Lanka’s […]
22nd December 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Looking back, looking forward: a few highlights
The end of the year is always a good moment to take stock, and that holds no less for embassies as for individuals. A few of our 2014 highlights: The large number of high level bilateral visits to the Vatican, topped of course by that of Her Majesty The Queen and The Duke of Edinburgh […]
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22nd December 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
High Growth Europe
I was back in London for a few days last month to attend a series of events focused on the export opportunities for UK companies represented by the Central European region, stretching from Poland in the north to Bulgaria in the south. The centrepiece was the High Growth Europe Showcase, organised in concert with the […]
22nd December 2014 Paris, France
2014, a year of anniversaries
So this is the time of year when I look back at what we’ve achieved and 2014 will stay in my mind a long time as a year of anniversaries. We’ve had the 20th anniversary of the Channel Tunnel, and the Queen unveiled a little plaque to commemorate that at Saint Pancras when she was coming […]
22nd December 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
A Tale of Three Cities
Today I am pleased to welcome a guest blogger on my blog, Sir David King, The Foreign Secretary’s Special Representative on Climate Change. He recently visited Stockholm, Copenhagen and Oslo and shares his experiences of sustainable urban transport: Sustainable Transport: A Tale of Three Cities. It was the worst of times for the climate; it […]
22nd December 2014 Colombo, Sri Lanka
Piyumi’s Story
Our sixth blog is by Lynn Stanier, a specialist travel agent to Sri Lanka, organising holiday and sports tours. Lynn turned her immediate devastation into a long term determination to support vulnerable children. Immediately after the tsunami, I visited Sri Lanka with my son Ryan to volunteer and support the Sri Lankan people. I […]
21st December 2014 Colombo, Sri Lanka
IODR: Rebuilding lives, bringing smiles
The fifth blog in our series tells of the inspiration for Indian Ocean Disaster Relief (IODR), a charity which supports especially children to survive a natural disaster, and then rebuild their lives. Chairman and founder, Tony Matharu, tells the story. Nearly 10 years ago on Boxing Day 2004, having overindulged during the Christmas period, I […]
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20th December 2014 Colombo, Sri Lanka
The Asian Tsunami: A Volunteer’s Tale
For our fourth blog in the series, we look in house. Gary Leslie, currently Head of UK Trade and Industry at the High Commission, but in 2004 based in London, was in the first team of Foreign and Commonwealth Office volunteers to be deployed to Sri Lanka. Here is his story. On the morning of 26 […]