17th July 2025
Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
15th July 2025
International Day of Women in Diplomacy: UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls visit to Geneva
1st May 2025
The UN Commission on the Status of Women: My first visit as UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls
1st December 2014 Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
Celebrating St Andrew’s Day in Scotland’s Special Year
There are strong links between Scotland and Brunei, and as we celebrate Scotland’s national day over the weekend, anyone passing the British High Commission will notice a subtle change In addition to the red, white and blue of the Union Flag, there is a simple blue field with a bold white cross running from its […]
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1st December 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
HMAS Canberra: Australia’s new amphibious capability
Up close, warships look enormous. As we approached Woolloomooloo Wharf in Sydney for the commissioning ceremony, HMAS Canberra, Australia’s newest – and largest ever – naval vessel loomed over the invited guests. Navies do these things in style. The Governor General, Prime Minister and senior naval officers all spoke, Padres blessed the ship, the band played. […]
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30th November 2014 Sofia, Bulgaria
Doing Business in Bulgaria over the Past 30 Years
by Dr. Barbara Page-Roberts Dr. Barbara Page-Roberts is International Marketing Consultant who has been connected to Bulgaria for many years. “I have spent the most of the past 30 years in Bulgaria, and I consider it to be a privilege that I live here permanently for the past ten.” – Dr. Barbara Page Roberts On the face […]
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30th November 2014 Skopje, North Macedonia
Scottish recipes for St Andrews Day
The people of Scotland account for 8,3 % of the total UK population. Today, Scotland marks its national day – St Andrew’s Day. It’s a chance to really celebrate all that is great about our heritage and culture – our people, our food, and our skills, many of which have been passed on through generation […]
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30th November 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
A Scotsman in the Holy See
Guest blog by Monsignor Charles Burns OBE, Ecclesiastical Advisor of the British Embassy to the Holy See There have been Scots here in Rome for many centuries. The Scottish Hospice was founded in 1475 to assist Scottish pilgrims, and the Pontifical Scots College – where the Feast of St Andrew is celebrated every year – […]
29th November 2014 Islamabad, Pakistan
Celebrating St Andrew’s Day in Pakistan
For many here in Pakistan, Scotland needs no introduction, with its vibrant Pakistani communities and the links between Scotland and Pakistan in higher education and business.I was delighted that my first big event as the new British High Commissioner to Pakistan after I arrived in January was to host a Burns Night party. Haggis being […]
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28th November 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
In St.Andrew’s footsteps
St Andrew may not be my name saint, but he is my adopted one. I’ve been following him around all my life, born in Scotland and serving in three of the other countries that have St Andrew as their patron saint – Ukraine, Romania and Russia. Indeed he was in the background before I was […]
28th November 2014 Beirut, Lebanon
ALEXANDER THE GREAT, SPEED DATING AND JAWBONE
I recently got a Jawbone ‘Up’, a device that monitors your daily activity, sleep patterns and exercise, and helps you better control your health. As a father of two boys, I don’t need anyone to tell me I don’t get enough sleep. But, like many, I’m outsourcing the collection of my data to a plastic […]
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28th November 2014 London, UK
Reviewing the digital work of our embassies – part 2
This blog post looks at what we learnt from our recent review of how our embassies around the world are using digital. In our 2014 digital review we asked posts (embassies, high commissions, consulates etc) to assess how they were using digital tools and techniques in four areas: communications; strategic planning and leadership; policy making; […]
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28th November 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
St Andrew’s Day always has a special place in my heart.
Guest blog by Greg Quinn, Deputy Head of Mission St Andrew’s Day always has a special place in my heart. Not only do I have many friends from Scotland but there are various other connections. These include the fact that my mother is of Scottish ancestry (and I’m therefore the proud wearer of a kilt), […]
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