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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)
10th October 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Indian Ocean Rim Association ministers meet in Perth
The Indian Ocean Rim Association (IORA) is not one of the most well known international regional groupings. But it is of growing significance. The 20 countries who flank the world’s third largest ocean represent more than a quarter of the world’s population, and include African, Arab and Asian nations. Around half the world’s cargo ships and two thirds […]
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10th October 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
How bad is corruption in Turkey? (Part 2)
Back in February 2013 I wrote a blog called “How bad is corruption in Turkey?” It noted that in the latest Transparency International Corruption Index, published in December 2012, Turkey had improved its ranking by 7 places to 54th place, putting it ahead of some EU countries. In December 2013, Transparency International produced its latest […]
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9th October 2014 Washington DC, USA
Battles historic and partnerships enduring
The P-51 Mustang was an iconic fighter aircraft in US combat service during the 1940s and 1950s during the Second World War, and the Korean War. A global phenomenon, it was also pressed into service by allies including Australia, South Africa, the Republic of Korea, France and the Netherlands. It was first flown operationally by […]
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9th October 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Elections: Leadership and moderation please
I recently visited Srebrenica with a group of visitors as part of a UK Government-funded project which aims to learn the lessons of Europe’s only genocide since the Second World War, and to apply them to improving relationships between diverse communities in the UK. During the visit, I met a number of mothers who had […]
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9th October 2014 Sana’a, Yemen
GIRLS TOGETHER
Friday the 11th of October is International Day of the Girl and an opportunity to reflect on the challenges that girls all over the world still face every day. In July of this year, the UK and UNICEF sponsored Girl Summit, an event held in a school in London which aimed to galvanise a global […]
9th October 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
ISS helping children and families worldwide
Problems with families and children are often even more complicated when there is a transnational element. Our consular teams regularly hear heart-wrenching stories about child abductions and custody disputes which may result in a child living on the other side of the world from one of its parents. International Social Service (ISS) is an impressive NGO that […]
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8th October 2014 Toronto, Canada
International Astronautical Congress 2014
The Canadian Aeronautics and Space Institute hosted the 65th International Astronautical Congress 2014 last week, packing thousands of attendees into the Metro Toronto Convention Centre for one of the world’s premier space events. The UK was very well-represented, with the UK Space Agency staking out a large booth on the exhibition floor and almost 100 […]
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8th October 2014 Toronto, Canada
Canadian science news: 29 September-5 October 2014
Trouble reading this story or moving through pages? Check it out on Storify here: https://storify.com/SINCanada/canadian-science-news-date-1 [View the story “Canadian science news: 29 September-5 October 2014” on Storify]
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8th October 2014 Hanoi, Vietnam
Good to be back
Hello, and welcome to what I plan to be a regular blog about my work as the British Ambassador to Vietnam. Although I only arrived here at the end of July, I’m not a stranger to Vietnam. I worked here in the 1990s as a young diplomat. When people hear this, their first question is […]
8th October 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Contemplations of a new arrival in Bosnia and Herzegovina
I arrived in Bosnia and Herzegovina in July, and was lucky enough to spend a month improving my language skills in Mostar and in Banja Luka before arriving in Sarajevo to take up my post as the new British Ambassador. I have decided to start a blog in order to share some of my own […]
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