3rd December 2024
RENEWING OLD TIES: THE NEW BISHOP OF LONDON
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
25th November 2024
The climate crisis and gender-based violence
8th November 2024
Ecolabels: A Catalyst for Sustainable Food Choices?
26th March 2014 London, UK
Europe – a chill wind blowing
From my window in the Foreign Office, you can just about see St James’ Park, and it’s easy on a sunny, spring day to be infused with a sense of optimism and general wellbeing. But elsewhere in Europe, there is a chill in the air. I have just returned from Lithuania and Latvia, where memories […]
26th March 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Travels in the North
I spent most of last week travelling in time and space in Northern and River Nile States. I visited a couple of archaeological sites. I was warmly hosted by the Governors and met a range of people in Dongola and Ed Damar. I visited an impressive investment project. There was some discussion of National Dialogue, […]
25th March 2014 Paris, France
Digital revolution at the Residence
In the last few days we’ve had two events here in the residence on the theme of the digital revolution and how it’s changing our lives. First of all we had an event to celebrate innovation and technology and young talent applying itself to the problems we are facing.
25th March 2014 Geneva, Switzerland
Moment of truth
Every Council delegate will know what a strain the March session can put on your family life. Things have got so bad that I’m now considering looking for a new wife. It’s not for me though. My wife has got to the point that she’s told me she needs someone like her to help look […]
25th March 2014 San Francisco, USA
How GREAT is Innovation?
Earlier this month, the best and brightest minds in innovation, creative media, and tech landed in Austin for the annual SxSW conference and trade show. Every year I am impressed by the UK companies that attend SxSW, and this year was no different. My colleagues at the British Consulate in Houston support loads of UK […]
24th March 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Helping to preserve our reefs – because it is the right thing to do
The idea of volunteering, doing something for society without pay, took leaps forward during the Olympic Games at Sydney. Thousands of people worked for no pay to help man the Games, and provide help and guidance to the thousands of overseas visitors. I can remember meeting firemen and others who had given up a week’s […]
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24th March 2014 Warsaw, Poland
WHERE’S MY CHEESE? – The GREAT British Food Tour 2014 (part 8)
We’ve stopped for an afternoon smoke at the only remaining smoker on Anglesey. We’re talking award inning bacon, fish and eels. Well worth a look – smacznego! DeriMon – Anglesey’s only traditional Smokehouse DeriMon (translated from Welsh means ‘The Oaks of Anglesey’) – the name is derived from the fact that our property – Deri […]
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24th March 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
“Digging for truth: the uses and abuses of language”
I was honoured to be invited to the Nobel Museum on Friday by my friend and colleague, the Irish Ambassador, James Carroll, to take part in a celebration of the life and work of the Nobel prize winning poet Seamus Heaney. The poem I chose to read was “Digging”, in which the young poet expresses […]
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24th March 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Humanitarian crisis
Since mid-December, over 70,000 refugees from South Sudan have fled the violence there into the Gambella Region of Ethiopia, seeking to escape insecurity and a lack of food. The numbers are growing all the time. The UK Government is extremely concerned about this situation. This week I visited a new camp for refugees (currently known […]
24th March 2014 Bandar Seri Begawan, Brunei
Integration of Transferable Skills in TVET Curriculum Workshop
We have another guest blogger this month. Dr Paryono is the Deputy Director for Professional Affairs cum Research Specialist at the Southeast Asian Ministers of Education Organisation Regional Centre For Vocational and Technical Education and Training (SEAMEO VOCTECH) based in Brunei. Its workshop on the Integration of Transferable Skills in TVET Curriculum, Teaching-Learning, and Assessment […]
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