9th December 2025
Why We Need Data, Courage, and Community
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
2nd December 2025
In cybersecurity, there are no limits – only new voices ready to lead
14th October 2025
Lost and Found (but mostly lost)
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 >>
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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). […]
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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 […]
21st August 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Bienvenida al Bebé Real
Cuando estas a un largo camino lejos de casa, eventos como el nacimiento de Su Majestad Real el Príncipe Jorge pueden llegar a tener un significado especial. Muchas personas han felicitado a la Embajada por el nacimiento que sentimos que debíamos hacer algo para celebrar esta feliz llegada. De hecho, fue algo más que solo […]
21st August 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Asuntos globales, intereses locales
Recientemente tuve el placer de estar en Londres por la visita del Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores, Fernando Carrera. Su agenda, estuvo compuesta por varios temas, desde la política de drogas hasta el comercio internacional de azúcar. Dentro de ello, quiero resaltar un tema en particular que discutió con el Ministro de Relaciones Exteriores William Hague […]
21st August 2013 Bangalore, India
Startup Showcase Day in London: Be there!
The UK is considered as the digital technology capital of Europe. From the World Wide Web to the micro-computer, UK has been at the forefront of technological innovations, helping economic growth and promoting social change. The SIN team works closely with UK Trade and Investment (UKTI) on digital innovations. Merlin Rory Picardo, who is the lead […]
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21st August 2013 Tashkent, Uzbekistan
A Lost City
On Sunday I set off out of Tashkent to find the ancient city of Kanka, which the UNESCO website describes as “unique as a monument of history and human culture and the town-planning history of Uzbekistan, and included in the list of ten great sites of ancient cities of Central Asia”. It isn’t really a […]
21st August 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
World Humanitarian Day: So What?
Monday 19 August was World Humanitarian Day. Such days – which mark important international themes – occur regularly. But few can be as relevant and important this year given the severe refugee crisis caused by the tragic violence in Syria. There are now almost 2 million Syrians – 10% of the population – in neighbouring […]
20th August 2013 Havana, Cuba
My 1st birthday!
It’s exactly a year to the day since I arrived in Havana. When I stepped off the plane 365 days’ ago, it was my first time in Cuba, I knew a little but not a lot about the country and, after a recent posting in Mozambique, my Spanish had a very Portuguese twang. A year later and I […]