17th July 2025
Parting is Such Sweet Sorrow
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
27th August 2013 Ottawa, Canada
Reading the (trade) tea leaves
I will admit trade policy isn’t always edge-of-your-seat material, but lately it has been getting its fair share of press. From a new Director-General at the World Trade Organisation, to the Trans-Pacific Partnership negotiations, and the start of bilateral trade talks between the EU and US, there are a lot of potential game changers for global trade on the horizon. . .
27th August 2013 Windhoek, Namibia
Visiting drought stricken areas in northern Namibia
Namibian President Hifikepunye Pohamba declared a national emergency on 17 May in response to the country’s failed rains and worsening drought situation. An estimated 330,000 people have now been classified as food insecure – 14 % of Namibia’s total population of 2.3m, with an additional 447,577 classified as moderately food insecure. The drought hit especially […]
Read more on Visiting drought stricken areas in northern Namibia | Reply
27th August 2013 Bangalore, India
Water chemistry bonds researchers
Moreshwar Hude from the Royal Society of Chemistry writes about a two-day workshop titled “Indo UK Water quality perspective: Threats, Technologies and Options” on 13-14 August 2013, which was jointly organized by the UK Science and Innovation Network, Royal Society of Chemistry, UK and the Indian Institute of Science (IISc) Bangalore. Water is unique and […]
27th August 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Inspiring the Inspirational
Today people around the world are honouring the memory of Raoul Wallenberg. I’ve been reading Alex Kershaw’s book “To Save a People”. It is in equal parts heartbreaking in its accounts of individual cruelty and suffering and inspirational in its description of the idealism and bravery that Wallenberg and his colleagues displayed. I was intrigued […]
26th August 2013 Vientiane, Laos
Laos through my eyes – Tim Lardner
This article is part of a series of guest blogs contributed by Brits who have lived and worked in Laos, or who have other interesting links to Laos. I first visited Laos in 1997 and thought I had stumbled upon Shangri-La. From that point on, I became a regular visitor – primarily for professional reasons, […]
26th August 2013 Toronto, Canada
Canadian science news: 12-18 August 2013
[View the story “Canadian science news: 12-18 August 2013” on Storify]
Read more on Canadian science news: 12-18 August 2013 | Reply
26th August 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Open University, Open Minds
On Saturday I was pleased to be asked to address the graduation of the final and 7th Cohort of Ethiopian Open University (OU) MBA students at Addis Ababa University. This was just the latest manifestation of a long-standing bilateral educational relationship. The collaboration between the UK and Ethiopia in education stretches all the way back […]
23rd August 2013 London, UK
Visualising Foreign Travel Advice | GDS
Visualising the FCO’s travel advice data: It’s the holiday season, and as millions of people head off on their travels the importance of a single source of authoritative and accurate travel advice becomes particularly relevant… Read more >>
Read more on Visualising Foreign Travel Advice | GDS | Reply
23rd August 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Readers’ questions: Constant gardeners
Why is there a huge passion for parks, gardens and lawns in Britain? – Eugene Petrashkevich Dear Eugene: thank you for your question – I’ve simplified it from your original version. I understood your question as asking why we have gardens and parks for pleasure, rather than for necessity (to grow vegetables and fruit to eat). […]
Read more on Readers’ questions: Constant gardeners | Reply (7)
23rd August 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
End modern slavery
Today, we pay tribute to many women and men who were victims of the Slave Trade. The UNESCO International Day for the Remembrance of the Slave Trade and its Abolition is observed annually on 23 August to remind people of the tragedy of the Transatlantic Slave Trade. This day is an opportunity to honour and […]