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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
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17th December 2025
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3rd February 2014 Tripoli, Libya
National dialogue points to brighter future for Yemen
Whilst I was still an Ambassador in Yemen, I wrote a blog offering some tips to the newly appointed members of Yemen’s National Dialogue Conference. I suggested that if they were to rise to the huge historical responsibility placed on their shoulders, and heal the country’s divisions allowing it to become more secure and prosperous, […]
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3rd February 2014 New Delhi, India
UK-India: Building the ‘cities for the future’
Over the past year, the UK’s Science and Innovation Network in India, Research Councils UK India, DFID, British Council – India, and the Energy, Climate & Growth Unit have facilitated several collaborations between key stakeholders in India and the UK to promote bilateral research co-operation in the area of ‘Future Cities’. These stakeholders include academic […]
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3rd February 2014 Mumbai, India
Interview with Prof. Peter Lindstedt, Imperial College London
During the recent GREAT Britain campaign in Indore (January 15-16, 2014), Prof. Peter Lindstedt from the Imperial College London delivered a couple of interesting talks on automotive engineering to academic and industry audiences. In the middle of a bustling networking session, I was able to find a quiet corner to chat up with Prof. Lindstedt […]
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3rd February 2014 Mumbai, India
S&IN in Indore
The UK Science & Innovation Network (S&IN), India partnered with the UK Trade & Investment to invite Prof. Peter Lindstedt from the Imperial College London to the GREAT Britain campaign in Indore (Madhya Pradesh) during January 15-16, 2014. Prof. Lindstedt is the Consul for the Faculty of Engineering & Business School, and Professor of thermofluids […]
31st January 2014 Washington DC, USA
A whole new world
The following is a guest post by Dean Churm, British Consul and Consular Regional Operations Manager for the eastern and southern United States. The British Vice-Consulate in Orlando first opened its doors in 1994 following the growth in charter holiday packages to the Disney area (or the House of the Mouse as it is sometimes known locally). Over […]
31st January 2014 Brasilia, Brazil
Catalysing Partnerships – Guest blog by Mariana Almeida
The staff of the UK Department for International Development in Brasil went through a complete change in less than a year. The team has now a new face and even though each member has his/her own personality and experience, we all share the common goal of working with cooperation and international development in search of […]
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31st January 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Honduras – Running the show
This week I represented the UK at the Presidential inauguration in Honduras. From a personal perspective – or let’s say from one diplomat to another – I marvelled at how the Ministry of Foreign Affairs managed to handle delegations from over 90 countries and make sure that we were all in the right place at […]
31st January 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Fusion
Many Belarusians ask me about cooking in Britain. I’ve resisted writing about it so far, but next week the embassy will take part in the Minsk international Book Fair for the first time. We want to convey a better understanding of contemporary Britain. One of the themes we will feature is cooking. Britain hasn’t been […]
31st January 2014 Vientiane, Laos
January 2014 Monthly Snapshot
January 2014 Look what we have been busy with at the Embassy this month! Happy New Year! The British Embassy Vientiane launched into the New Year with an ambitious agenda as an already established and settled diplomatic mission, full of plans for high-level work in 2014. LGBT rights success! Anan Bouapha, UK in Laos […]
31st January 2014
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Defence Advisers
Last night the Defence Minister and a range of other senior defence figures came to dinner at my residence, Westminster House. They joined us to bid farewell to my Defence Adviser, Brigadier Will Taylor, at the end of his tour in Canberra. They enjoyed supping from my range of British ales, including Spitfire and Bombadier. […]