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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
17th December 2025
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14th March 2014 Havana, Cuba
Why on earth would an Ambassador in Cuba tweet?
A lot of my diplomatic counterparts in Havana look completely bemused when I talk to them about Twitter or tell them what my last blog was about. That’s not because they don’t know what Twitter or blogging is but because they don’t really see social media as playing a role in their daily diplomacy. Many […]
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14th March 2014 Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Science
Last week Dr Eric Morgan, a scientist from Bristol University’s School of Veterinary Sciences, visited Tashkent for a round table with the Academy of Sciences in Uzbekistan. The topic was animal parasites and the impact on their prevalence and transmission of climate change. I spent a fascinating morning listening to Dr Morgan speaking about the […]
14th March 2014 Yerevan, Armenia
Crisis in Crimea
All of us who care about peace in Europe have been shocked by the events in Crimea over the past two weeks. On Sunday a referendum will be held in Crimea in which there is no option for those who wish to keep Crimea’s status as part of Ukraine unchanged. People may only vote to join Russia, or […]
14th March 2014 Science and Innovation Network
Our cities, our future
“Cities have the capability of providing something for everybody,” wrote the American urban theorist Jane Jacobs in 1961, “only because, and only when, they are created by everybody.” Cities over the world face complex and rapidly evolving challenges. Ranging from climate, to poverty, economic downturns and demographic shifts, cities now need to confront an unprecedented […]
13th March 2014 Warsaw, Poland
Say Cheese – Say Cheshire
Say Cheese – We’ve been all the way to Chester to taste some Cheshire Piesek P is on the lookout for GREAT British Cheese in Poland – as he finds it he’ll let you know – just smile, Cheshire Cheese is thought to be Britain’s oldest named cheese. It was originally the generic name for […]
13th March 2014 Sofia, Bulgaria
A Peek into the Photo Albums
by Alan Burner Alan Burner was 3rd Secretary at the British Embassy Sofia, 1970-1972, and Deputy Head of Mission, 1984-1987. In 1964, Alan spent a fortnight holiday with the family of Sir William Harpham, Britain’s first Ambassador to Bulgaria, at his Residence in Sofia. (Before that there were British Agents, Consul-Generals, High Commissioners and Political Representatives). Alan kept […]
13th March 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Critical Days For Diplomacy On Ukraine
Britain’s longest serving Foreign Secretary, Sir Edward Grey, famously looked out from his office overlooking St James’ Park in early August 1914 and, as war loomed, commented “the lamps are going out all over Europe”. I often thought of those words in August 2008, during the Russian aggression in Georgia, not least as my office, as […]
12th March 2014 Brasilia, Brazil
Be a Leader – A Chevening Experience
Today Alisson Braga, one of our Brazilian Chevening Scholars currently in the UK, will take over the blog. He attended an event organized by the FCO and HSBC bank in London last week. His words show not only how special foreign students are, but how the Chevening Scholars’ experience in the UK goes beyond the […]
12th March 2014 Washington DC, USA
Africa 2014: pessimism, optimism, or both?
Africa has had a “bad start” to 2014. Or so I keep hearing. But I wonder, how does a whole continent have a bad start? Do a billion people collectively have a bad day? What people usually mean is that Africa has experienced a lot of violence this year. No denying that. Horrific atrocities in […]
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12th March 2014 Warsaw, Poland
Say Cheese – Say Somerset – Say Cheddar
Piesek P is on the lookout for GREAT British Cheese in Poland – as he finds it he’ll let you know – just smile, Say Cheese from the town of Cheddar in the Mendip Hills The story of Cheddar can be traced back to the Romans who introduced hard cheeses to England. It was the […]
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