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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
25th November 2024
The climate crisis and gender-based violence
8th November 2024
Ecolabels: A Catalyst for Sustainable Food Choices?
12th July 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Srebrenica: International justice: Coming of age?
On 11 July 1995 Bosnian Serb forces massacred 8000 Bosniak men and boys in what the UN had designated as the “safe area” of Srebrenica. The International Criminal Tribunal on the former Yugoslavia ruled in 2004 that Srebrenica had been an act of genocide. My first job in the Foreign Office was as desk officer for […]
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12th July 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Farewell to Mumbai (Part 1): Millionaires moving forward
The strongest impression on most overseas visitors to Mumbai are the contrasts: between the lavish apartment buildings and the slums around the airport, between the exotic stores selling $2000 saris and the street food vendors outside offering 10 rupee snacks, between the packed trains arriving in the mainline stations and the air-conditioned luxury cars cruising the streets. […]
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11th July 2013 Ottawa, Canada
uStrathclyde and uDalhousie sign Wave and Tidal Energy MoU
The University of Strathclyde in Scotland signed a Tidal and Wave Energy research Memorandum of Understanding with Dalhousie University in Nova Scotia on the 5th of July. (See press release here) In a ceremony near Glasgow, Scotland, members of the Scottish and Nova Scotia governments witnessed Strathclyde executive dean of engineering Scott MacGregor and Dalhousie […]
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11th July 2013 London, UK
A uniquely interesting place to work on digital – come join us
The FCO’s Digital Strategy, published last December, set an ambitious vision: a Foreign Office that makes full use of digital tools to enhance foreign policy formulation; and a Foreign Office that provides its consular services digitally by default, delivering more effective services and allowing us to spend more time on the most vulnerable Brits abroad. […]
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11th July 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
World Population Day
According to the latest statistics, the world population has passed the 7 billion mark. This fast accelerating number raises a number of important issues – and the United Nations has selected an interesting theme for this year from the potential list. The organisation wants to address the issue of adolescent pregnancy, which directly feeds the […]
10th July 2013 San Francisco, USA
Invisibility Cloaks: No Longer Exclusive to the Wizarding World
I know what you’re thinking – this is a blog for the Science and Innovation Network. What’s next, a post on fire-breathing dragons? But in fact, over the course of the past decade the concept of invisibility cloaks has turned from fiction to science. Much to the dismay of Harry Potter fans across the globe, however, […]
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10th July 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Still pretty sunny in Western Australia
There has been much talk of the resources investment boom passing its peak. But in Perth things still feel pretty good. I called on Premier Colin Barnett, re-elected in a handsome victory since my last visit, and some of his ministers. I attended the Australian Gas Technology Conference and Expo and met a number of […]
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10th July 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Justice and Home Affairs: Opting Out to Opt In
The Home Secretary made an announcement to Parliament on 9 July on the UK’s policy towards Justice and Home Affairs in the EU. There’s a lot of law and jargon involved, but I’ll try and keep it as simple as possible! The bottom line is the UK government remains committed to working with EU partners […]
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10th July 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Charlotta Longstocking
When our daughters were small, they used to read stories about Pippi Longstocking. She was a nine-year old girl with ginger plaits. She was unconventional and assertive with no respect for authority. She also had superhuman strength, being able to lift her horse with one hand. Our daughters learnt that girls can achieve anything if they […]
9th July 2013 Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Diplomatic Excellence
Recently I travelled to London to attend the annual Foreign Office Leadership Conference, which brings together the heads of our diplomatic posts from around the world, and senior officials based in London. It’s a chance to discuss the big issues that are facing all of us, and to hear from Foreign Office ministers and ministers […]