17th July 2025
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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
11th October 2013 San Francisco, USA
New UK research gives hope for Alzheimer’s treatments
Scientific research may sometimes be portrayed as a series of breakthroughs, but in fact it is a gradual and labour-intensive process, especially when it comes to developing new drugs. However, this week’s announcement of an exciting result from Leicester University in the UK may well represent a turning point in the fight against degenerative brain […]
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11th October 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
600 million opportunities
We are aware of the particular and important role that girls play in economic and social growth, and so to commemorate the International Day of the Girl Child we have a guest blog from Sara Del Cid, our Security and Justice Officer. Over to you Sara… The Global Gender Gap Report 2012 indicates that women […]
11th October 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Keep calm, and apply for a Chevening Scholarship
Recently we said farewell to one of our Chevening Scholars, Javier Brolo, who has now left Guatemala and arrived safely in the UK. Here’s guest blog from him with some first impressions. Over to you Javier… This is my first week of classes as a Chevening scholar at the University of Essex, and I wanted […]
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11th October 2013 Boston, USA
Why I think Synthetic Biology is GREAT!
The US Science and Innovation Network kicked off a year-long campaign focused on synthetic biology last month in Boston. The goal of this campaign is to promote the fantastic synthetic biology research ongoing in the UK, boost current collaborations and inspire some new ideas for ways the two countries can work together. I am really […]
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11th October 2013 Vientiane, Laos
Laos through my eyes – Andy Rutherford
Laos was at the centre of unprecedented international attention for much of 2012 culminating with hosting the Asia Europe Meeting (ASEM) in November 2012, gathering the Heads of State and Government of ASEM’s 49 member countries in Vientiane.
11th October 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Naval Gazing
Sailing into Sydney’s magnificent harbour aboard HMS Daring, one of the Royal Navy’s most advanced warships, was a spectacular experience. We were part of a fleet of 40 naval ships from 19 countries, there to celebrate the Royal Australian Navy’s 100th anniversary. I had spent two nights at sea on HMS Daring, and developed a healthy respect […]
10th October 2013 Brasilia, Brazil
Hopeful signs for a diplomatic “abacaxi”
One of the first slang expressions I learnt in Portuguese was abacaxi (pineapple in English) used to describe a difficult issue. Iran’s relations with the international community could be described as an abacaxi. But are we at a moment of change in those relations with the arrival of President Rouhani? Since 2005, I have been […]
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10th October 2013 Ottawa, Canada
CETA and TTIP (or how 1 + 1 = 3)
A study co-produced by my colleagues in Washington, TTIP and the Fifty States, got me thinking about the benefits to be had from a conclusion to both CETA negotiations and the recently started TTIP talks …
10th October 2013 British High Commission, Kingston, Jamaica
The Death Penalty in the English Speaking Caribbean: A Jamaican Perspective
When the English-speaking Caribbean countries attained independence in the 1960’s, 1970’s and 1980’s, their new sovereign Constitutions contained Bills of Rights which created a new and critical opportunity for attacking the death penalty. Each of these Constitutions now contained fundamental rights guarantees against cruel, inhumane and degrading punishment or treatment and in favour of fair trials.
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10th October 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Travels in the East
I have just spent a couple of days in Kassala and Gadarif. I know that some people think it is strange for Ambassadors to make visits outside the capital. Of course most of my business is with the Government in Khartoum. But I am the ambassador to Sudan, not to Khartoum. It’s important not to […]