17th December 2025
MAKING LIFE SAFER, FOR EVERYONE
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
9th December 2025
Why We Need Data, Courage, and Community
2nd December 2025
In cybersecurity, there are no limits – only new voices ready to lead
15th September 2014 Geneva, Switzerland
Universality under attack
For those of you who may have noticed me looking a little down in the mouth last week, this had little to do with work and almost everything to do with the temporary disappearance of our pet cat. She was obviously not getting enough attention having to compete in our household with two small children […]
15th September 2014 Sana’a, Yemen
Democracy in the making
Today is the International Day of Democracy. This year’s theme – Engaging Young People on Democracy – is particularly relevant for Yemen. Three years ago, young Yemenis took to the streets in pursuit of democracy. Yemen’s democratic journey has been guided by the National Dialogue Conference, which led to the agreement of a new social […]
15th September 2014 Sana’a, Yemen
ديمقراطية في طور الإنشاء
اليوم هو اليوم العالمي للديمقراطية. وموضوع هذا العام – إشراك الشباب في الديمقراطية – هو ذات أهمية خاصة بالنسبة لليمن. قبل ثلاث سنوات، خرج الشباب اليمني إلى الشوارع في السعي لتحقيق الديمقراطية. وقد استرشدت رحلة الديمقراطية في اليمن بمؤتمر الحوار الوطني، الذي أدى إلى اتفاق لعقد اجتماعي جديد، معترفا بمطالب ومصالح جميع اليمنيين والأهم، تلك الفئات الضعيفة والأقليات. اليوم، […]
15th September 2014 Dushanbe, Tajikistan
The Sheep Run
The following is a post by Dr. John Heathershaw, Senior Lecturer in International Relation, University of Exeter. May in Tajikistan is a time when Shepherds move their sheep from lowland fields to higher mountain pastures (ailoo). On the road from Vakhdat to Garm, I witnessed herds of up to 1,500 sheep moving along the road with […]
13th September 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Fighting Ebola
A few weeks ago some cases of malaria briefly gave rise to rumours that #Ebola had arrived in #Addis. Thankfully this was wrong, but the story went viral on social media. Rumours and misinformation can spread even faster than Ebola. As the disease continues to spread, there are increasingly worrying projections about how far it […]
12th September 2014 Paris, France
The Battle of the Marne
Today I represented the UK at the commemoration of the Battle of the Marne, which raged for 5 days from 5 September 1914 and was one of the turning points of WW1. From the start of the War in early August, the German Armies advanced relentlessly across Belgium and into France. The French forces, and […]
12th September 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
The Pity of War
August is a holiday month in much of Europe. It’s a good time to take stock, read the books that have waited long on the shelf, and explore new places. The war that is still going on This August marked one hundred years of the start of the First World War, when the armies of […]
11th September 2014 Sofia, Bulgaria
One Holiday in Borovets That Changed Everything
by Simon Feek Simon Feek first visited Bulgaria in 1997; he came on a winter holiday with his girlfriend at the time. A few years later when looking for a good place to invest in real-estate, Bulgaria was the first destination to come to his mind. The rest is history (which by the way also includes the […]
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11th September 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
The Church as a global player
The bishops in the US and health care reform. The leading role played by the Catholic Church in tackling corruption in the Philippines. Caritas Internationalis responding in a practical way to the rise in suicides amongst Indian farmers. Catholic radio and censorship in South Sudan. The response of the Eastern Church Patriarchs to ISIL. Using […]
11th September 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Employment Minister Esther McVey in Melbourne for G20
G20 brought another minister to Australia this week. Esther McVey MP, Minister of State for Employment, is in Melbourne attending the G20 Employment Ministers Meeting. As an MP on Merseyside, which has had its share of employment challenges, she is passionate about helping to give people the opportunity to work. Immediately before the meeting she […]
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