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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)
19th April 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
A celebration of friendship between UK and Peru
This Sunday 21st of April we celebrate The Queen’s birthday, an opportunity to celebrate the good relationship between our countries as well. I am frequently asked by children here what the difference is between Great Britain and Scotland and England and the United Kingdom. It can seem rather complicated, I know. In the United Kingdom […]
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19th April 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Women of Faith, Teachers of Peace
The following is a guest blog by Simona Prete, Head of Communications. “Working for the British Embassy to the Holy See, I am privileged to meet and engage with remarkable women at the Vatican and in the Catholic network. Our Ambassador Nigel Baker noted on International Women’s Day: “the vital role played by women religious […]
19th April 2013 Toronto, Canada
GOV.UK wins Design of the Year 2013
GOV.UK is the new digital home of everything the UK Government does. Every government entity will eventually have its online presence at GOV.UK, giving people who need information a single place to go and get it. The Foreign and Commonwealth Office and Department for Business, Innovation and Skills (SIN’s parent departments) are already there, helping […]
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19th April 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
UK and Sweden sign Defence MOU
Yesterday in London, Swedish Defence Minister Karen Enström and the UK Minister for International Security Strategy, Dr Andrew Murrison signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MOU) between the UK and Sweden for Military Exercises and Training. The main purpose of the MOU is to define the legal status of military personnel of one country when invited […]
19th April 2013 Chevening, UK
The conflict chain is beginning to break: It is time for a stable Somalia
The upcoming conference in London, to be co-hosted by David Cameron and the Somali President, Hassan Sheikh Mohamud, on May 7th, marks a new beginning in terms of Somalia’s relationship with the international world. This and the G8 Foreign Ministers Meeting last week, where Somalia was a key issue on the agenda, as well as […]
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19th April 2013 Yerevan, Armenia
The way to come to CHANGES
Our colleagues from the British Embassy posts in Yerevan and Ankara paid visit to both countries to meet with civil society organisations, journalists and junior decision makers in Turkey and Armenia to exchange ideas and explore opportunities for future project cooperation between two countries. Following to the visits Serra Cetin Head of Projects Team […]
19th April 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
A memory of Lady Thatcher
As I prepared for an interview on ExpressenTV on the night of Lady Thatcher’s funeral, I read through the entries in the Embassy’s condolence book. Many Ambassadors, representing countries from across the world had come to the Embassy to pay their tributes, as had members of the British community and Swedish citizens. What struck me […]
19th April 2013 New Delhi, India
A look to the future
“For tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today”. Undoubtedly, no one knows the future. Yet the above quote from Malcom X neatly encapsulates why strategic thinkers across the globe need to anticipate the future. Policy makers, businessman, militaries. All try to contemplate future scenarios in order to stay ahead of their global […]
18th April 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Message from the new Consul
A guest blog by Timothy Fisher, HM Consul at the British Consulate General in İstanbul, Turkey. With 2.5m British visitors and 40,000 British residents in Turkey, Consular work (helping British nationals in need overseas) is a key part of our work in Turkey. Therefore I was delighted to start work as Consul and Director of […]
18th April 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
How to get a British Visa
Summer is coming. The number of people wanting to travel is rising. That’s great, particularly for those of you travelling to the United Kingdom – we’re looking forward to seeing you. The fact that there are lots of people travelling means that here in Istanbul we are processing more visas. To help ensure we provide […]