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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
3rd June 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Australia sets scene for London Global Summit on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict
Foreign Minister Julie Bishop and I co-hosted a Dialogue on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict at Parliament House yesterday. It was well timed, just a week before the London summit from 10-13 June. Julie is one of 14 global champions for the PSVI initiative, including presidents, prime ministers and foreign ministers from a diverse range […]
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3rd June 2014 Chennai, India
The Leadership Conference and Diversity
It’s just 2 weeks since I got back from the annual Leadership Conference which draws together all our Heads of Mission from across the world. It’s the 6th I have attended in a row, which does lead me to reflect on how they’ve evolved. As always, it was extremely useful to hear from and share […]
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2nd June 2014 Paris, France
Her Majesty The Queen in France
We’re three days away from the State Visit of Her Majesty The Queen and the Duke of Edinburgh. Excitement is rising in the Embassy as we approach it. Why is this visit going to be so special? First of all, because the Queen stands for so much in the relationship between Britain and France.
2nd June 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Reptiles, fairies, conspiracies and cock-ups
Did US spacecraft Apollo 11 really land on the moon in July 1969? Was the death of Diana, Princess of Wales, an accident? Are many world leaders in fact shape-shifting reptilians? Back in August I wrote a blog called “Why Turkey can be confident”. I set out why I was so impressed by this wonderful, welcoming country; and […]
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31st May 2014 Sofia, Bulgaria
Bulgaria – The Golden Period in My Life
by Sarah Lampert Sarah Lampert was Third (later Second) Secretary Political in Sofia from 1991 to 1994. Her memories of Bulgaria are of the challenging time of transition between the old guard and the old way of doing things, and the new, but also of the relaxed and sunny atmosphere in Sofia, the stunning Bulgarian […]
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30th May 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Scotland in the UK: Better Together
The referendum on Scottish independence draws ever nearer and the debate is intensifying on both sides. As part of that debate, the UK government has published its 14th paper in a series of analyses, which set out the case for Scotland’s continued Union with the rest of the UK. The focus of this latest paper […]
29th May 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Flying the Turks and Caicos Flag Over the Heart of London
I returned this week from short visits on business and pleasure to London and New York. I timed my return to be in Grand Turk on Monday 26 May to attend my first National Hero’s Day Ceremony. I knew something of J.A.G.S. McCartney’s inspirational life from reading history books about Turks and Caicos. But attending […]
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29th May 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Gravity and the Artificial Pancreas: GREAT Festival of Creativity meets Istanbul
A woman drifts terrified in space, gazing down on earth. A factory turns out millions of computers for $25 each. A craftsman explains why high-tech car design still starts with a sculpted clay model. We’re at “The Seed” in Emirgan, north of Istanbul. Far below, the blue waters of the Bosphorus sparkle. On the terrace […]
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28th May 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Digital diplomacy, communications and the Holy See
The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and our global diplomatic network lead the way in the development of digital diplomacy (or “Twiplomacy” as it is sometimes called: Twitter + Diplomacy). Some people, retired diplomats amongst them, have been critical of “tweeting ambassadors”. Yet our experience has been a positive one. Whether we like it or not, we […]
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28th May 2014 Paris, France
Commemorating D-Day: the past and the future
Next week, we will be commemorating the 70th anniversary of the D-Day Landings in Normandy, and, for the UK, we have the honour of Her Majesty The Queen, HRH The Duke of Edinburgh in Normandy for 6 June, joined by HRH The Prince of Wales, the Duchess of Cornwall, and briefly His Royal Highness The […]
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