Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs

A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy

27th May 2014 Tashkent, Uzbekistan

by George Edgar

Ust-Yurt

I recently joined a visit by a UN team to the Ust-Yurt plateau in Karakalpakstan. The UN were there in connection with their joint programme that works on education, health, prosperity and environment issues in Karakalpakstan. For me it was an opportunity to find out more about the UN’s work here but also to see […]

Read more on Ust-Yurt | Reply

26th May 2014 Toronto, Canada

Avatar photo

by John Preece

SIN to support the Coalition of Centres in Global Child Health

The Coalition of Centres in Global Child Health, launched in July 2013, is a platform for academic centers of excellence to collaborate on child survival, health and development. Headquartered at the Hospital for Sick Children in Toronto, it focuses on capacity building, advocacy, knowledge generation, evidence translation and creating institutional linkages. There are currently over […]

Read more on SIN to support the Coalition of Centres in Global Child Health | Reply

25th May 2014 Havana, Cuba

Avatar photo

by Tim Cole

Former British Ambassador to Cuba

Cuba, England needs you!

Next month the World Cup kicks off in Brazil and billions of football fans, including millions of Cubans, will be watching it. The last and only time Cuba made it to the finals was in 1938 in France when they beat Rumania in the first round and then lost heavily to Sweden (8-0 – ouch!) […]

Read more on Cuba, England needs you! | Reply (8)

24th May 2014 Beirut, Lebanon

Tom Fletcher

by Tom Fletcher

Former British Ambassador to Lebanon

An Apology, and a Lebanese Manifesto

Today I visited the Presidential Palace to thank President Sleiman for his leadership. Throughout his mandate he has led Lebanon with great dignity and wisdom, and worked tirelessly for unity and consensus. He has just left the building. In theory, a new President should be preparing to arrive, making the last adjustments to his or […]

Read more on An Apology, and a Lebanese Manifesto | Reply (7)

23rd May 2014 London, UK

Avatar photo

by David Lidington

Minister for Europe, London

We should trust Ukrainians to make the right choice in Sunday’s elections

Ukraine is trying to find democratic solutions to the challenges it faces, and the international community must give it time to do so Trust in the ability of people to make decisions about their own future is a fundamental tenet of democracy. On Sunday, the citizens of Ukraine go to the polls to elect a […]

Read more on We should trust Ukrainians to make the right choice in Sunday’s elections | Reply

23rd May 2014 Budapest, Hungary

by Jonathan Knott

Former British ambassador to Hungary, Budapest

Elections again – this time it is about Europe

Guest blog by Zsolt Maróti, Senior Domestic Policy Officer at the British Embassy in Budapest.   The first EP elections were held in 1979 with the participation of nine member states. This time between 22 and 25 May some 400 million Europeans from 28 countries are eligible to cast their votes and elect a new […]

Read more on Elections again – this time it is about Europe | Reply

23rd May 2014 Madrid, Spain

Avatar photo

by Daniel Pruce

British Ambassador to the Philippines and to Palau

Are you free on the evening of 27 May? Do you want to help end sexual violence?

We will be screening the documentary, “War on Women” at the Caixa Forum in Madrid on 27 May. Entrance is free but you have to register with us. This link gives you all the details. “War on Women” is a powerful film by Argentinian director Hernan Zin. It tells the personal stories of several women, […]

Read more on Are you free on the evening of 27 May? Do you want to help end sexual violence? | Reply (1)

22nd May 2014 Paris, France

Avatar photo

by Peter Ricketts

Ambassador to France from February 2012 to January 2016.

Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict – the view from Paris

End Sexual Violence in Conflict - #TimeToAct

For far too long, rape and sexual violence has been used as a weapon of war, particularly against women. It makes conflict worse, it prolongs the effects of conflict, and it makes reconciliation far more difficult. Two years ago my Foreign Secretary William Hague, working with Angelina Jolie, who is the UN Special Envoy on these […]

Read more on Preventing Sexual Violence in Conflict – the view from Paris | Reply