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The climate crisis and gender-based violence
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Ecolabels: A Catalyst for Sustainable Food Choices?
1st July 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
A T-TIPping Point?
Among the outcomes of last week’s G8 in Lough Erne, the formal launching of negotiations on an EU-US Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership (or ‘T-TIP’) may prove to be one of the most historic. With the promise of new jobs and lower prices, it has the potential to make a real and positive impact for […]
1st July 2013 Vientiane, Laos
Laos through my eyes – Peter Banwell
It was almost by chance that I first visited Laos in 2008. My plan to visit Myanmar with my wife Catriona had been cancelled at the last moment due to changed advice from the Foreign Office.
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1st July 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
A Call to Public Service
One of the UK’s most eminent public servants, Sir Suma Chakrabarti, gave an address to students in Bucharest last month, making the case for a career in public service. Sir Suma is now President of EBRD, but before then he had a long and distinguished career in the British civil service. I worked with him […]
29th June 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
OECD at the G8 table
I wanted to sincerely thank everyone at the OECD who helped the UK host a successful G8 Summit. The setting was Northern Ireland’s beautiful Lough Erne, where on the eve of the Summit the British Prime Minister refreshed himself with a bracing swim, avoiding the nibbles of the pike that a certain recently-retired OECD Director […]
28th June 2013 USA
Chicago Blues: 5 Reasons I’ll Miss The Midwest
I’m about to leave Chicago after three fascinating and rewarding years as Consul General promoting the UK across 13 states of the US Midwest – an area bigger than western Europe and with an economy the size of Germany’s. People in Chicago often ask what a Consul General does. So here are five lasting impressions […]
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28th June 2013 Toronto, Canada
Science and the UK Spending Round 2013
On 26 June 2013, the Chancellor of the Exchequer presented the 2013 Spending Round to Parliament. The 2013 Spending Round sets out how the government will spend approximately £740 billion of taxpayers’ money in 2015-2016, and make further savings to improve the economy. What does this mean for science, research and international collaboration? Let’s take […]
28th June 2013 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
What Defines Our Relationship?
I am often asked what best defines the UK-Malaysia bilateral relationship? Is it the closeness of our business ties? Or could it be our shared history? Or is the strength of our education links? Foreign Office Minister Hugo Swire’s visit to Malaysia this week suggests it’s all of these areas and many more. In the […]
27th June 2013 Paris, France
British companies display innovative security technology in Paris
We are here in the Embassy today for a special event where we have representatives of the British security industry, presenting their products to French clients and looking to develop partnerships. This is a growing industry, which is producing products intended to help keep people safe, to help fight crime and terrorism, and it’s an […]
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26th June 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Economía de las drogas ilícitas: Un peligro para la humanidad
Hoy 26 de junio es el Día Internacional de la lucha contra el uso indebido y el tráfico ilícito de drogas; para ello nuestra blogger invitada es nuestra Oficial en Seguridad y Justicia, Sara del Cid. El mundo está cada vez más globalizado, y al igual que muchos otros fenómenos sociales, la globalización ha acelerado […]
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26th June 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Illicit Drug Economy: A Danger to Humanity
Today June 26th is the International Day Against Drug Abuse and Illicit Trafficking; our guest blogger is our Security and Justice Officer, Sara del Cid. The world is increasingly globalised, and as with many other social phenomena, globalisation has been accelerating the diffusion of the contemporary drug problem. While the increase in global trade has […]
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