3rd December 2024
RENEWING OLD TIES: THE NEW BISHOP OF LONDON
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?
1st May 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Syrian Refugees in Jordan
When people outside Jordan think about the Syrian refugees who have entered the country in the last 2 years, they usually think about the big camp in Za’atri. They have seen it on the news and from the numerous high-profile visitors who have been there. Headlines like “Record Numbers of Syrians Cross to Za’atri” encourage the perception […]
30th April 2013 Washington DC, USA
Bienvenido a Miami!
Welcome to Miami! There aren’t many other US cities I could see myself living in. I was fortunate to land my job here in DC, New York would have been great – in my twenties, Chicago and Boston are too cold for me and although I love the West Coast, it feels very far from […]
30th April 2013 Washington DC, USA
Talking Somalia in Mogadishu, London and… Columbus, Ohio
Last week I went to Columbus to talk to representatives of the 50,000 or so Somali diaspora community living in Ohio. It was hosted at a community learning centre set up to help Somali youths succeed in school. It seems to be working as I was told growing numbers are going to university. I set […]
Read more on Talking Somalia in Mogadishu, London and… Columbus, Ohio | Reply
30th April 2013 London, UK
Dawn Ceremony for ANZAC Day 2013
I never used to be a “morning person”. At university, I could stay up until dawn (studying!), but then I had to sleep for 24 hours. Here in Brunei my body clock has changed completely. I need to get the boys to school by 0720. So I set my alarm for 0600. But I am […]
30th April 2013 Beijing, China
Tweeting about British culture
Digital diplomacy is undoubtedly an increasingly important aspect of public diplomacy and its popularity is growing fast. It helps us understand our audience better, talk to them directly and make an impact in a more efficient and cost-effective way. Besides relevant topics about our country objectives – foreign policy, economics, trade, climate change and the […]
29th April 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Holy See: Point of Fruitful Encounter
As an Embassy, we very often receive visits from individuals or delegations from Britain who are coming to the Holy See, or passing through Rome, and whose work is relevant to our own global priorities. One of the pleasures of being ambassador here is the sheer variety of such encounters, reflecting the extensive waterfront that […]
Read more on Holy See: Point of Fruitful Encounter | Reply (1)
29th April 2013 Tashkent, Uzbekistan
Uzbekistan’s First Model G8
On Saturday, along with the Rector of Westminster International University in Tashkent (WIUT) and the Counsellor from the Russian Embassy, I was on the panel to judge the teams competing on a “Model G8” that the British Embassy’s Political and Public Diplomacy team organised in co-operation with WIUT. Sixteen students from top universities in Tashkent […]
29th April 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Travel in White Nile, Sennar and Gezira
One of the pleasure as well as duties of an Ambassador is to visit as much as possible of the country to which he is posted. How else can you get a sense of the size, diversity and make-up of a country? You can’t really understand a country and its people by just sitting in […]
Read more on Travel in White Nile, Sennar and Gezira | Reply (3)
29th April 2013 Toronto, Canada
29 April: Day of Remembrance for All Victims of Chemical Warfare
“The Day of Remembrance for All Victims of Chemical Warfare is an occasion to mourn those who have suffered from these inhumane arms and to renew our resolve to eradicate them from our world.” – UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon On 29 April 1997, the Chemical Weapons Convention came into force. Its broad aim is to […]
Read more on 29 April: Day of Remembrance for All Victims of Chemical Warfare | Reply
26th April 2013 London, UK
Serbia and Kosovo’s historic agreement
Dealing with the legacy of conflict is a leading theme in foreign policy. The guns may fall silent, but years can pass before progress is made on a lasting settlement. That’s why this historic agreement between Serbia and Kosovo is to be profoundly welcomed. This is not the end of the story, but it is […]