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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
15th July 2025
International Day of Women in Diplomacy: UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls visit to Geneva
1st May 2025
The UN Commission on the Status of Women: My first visit as UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls
22nd March 2013 Washington DC, USA
Victoria Cross awarded to a courageous hero
A British soldier who died in southern Afghanistan last year as he protected his platoon from a grenade blast is to be awarded the Victoria Cross. The UK’s top gallantry medal will go to Lance Corporal James Ashworth, 23, of Corby, Northamptonshire, who was serving with 1st Battalion Grenadier Guards. The Victoria Cross is the […]
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22nd March 2013 Washington DC, USA
Trade Partnerships: The simple power of good ideas
Last week, I argued that a successful Transatlantic Trade and Investment Partnership would put millions of consumers on both sides in touch with millions of businesses on both sides and be a real shot in the arm for business and jobs. In that blog, I argued that a successful TTIP would benefit the US in […]
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22nd March 2013 Dushanbe, Tajikistan
The Festival of Navruz – Spring Equinox
The following is a post by HM Ambassador Robin Ord-Smith For a foreigner this is a very special time to be in Tajikistan. Yesterday, the Spring equinox, marked the festival of Navruz, the first day of spring and the beginning of the year in the Iranian calendar. Navruz is a an ancient festival, believed to […]
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22nd March 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
A budget for business and growth
20 March, as well as being the Spring Equinox, was budget day in the UK. As in other European countries, the UK economy has been affected by the chill of the eurozone’s problem and the long winter of the international financial crisis. Against this backdrop, our government has announced several new measures to stimulate recovery. […]
22nd March 2013 New Delhi, India
Joining hands in conserving earth’s plant riches
Extinction is forever – something that happens to several plant species each year. They disappear without any chance of being replaced, many before their potential to help us has been fully assessed. The urgency of plant conservation was brought home to me after my interactions with Hugh Pritchard, who heads the Research, Seed Conservation and Senior Science Group in Royal Botanic […]
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22nd March 2013 Tripoli, Libya
The Art of Dialogue
On 19 March, I watched Yemenis setting out their positions forcefully and entertainingly. They brought their presentations vividly to life and clearly believed in a better future. They seemed a bit nervous but were clearly enjoying themselves. The dominant theme was how ideas could transform lives. Innovation and creative thinking were better weapons for achieving […]
21st March 2013 Washington DC, USA
Over 33 shows, 32 venues and 10,000 miles
The following is a guest blog by musician Paul Williams who plays cornet in the Band of the Scots Guards. Paul is currently taking part in the Pipes and Drums of The Black Watch and the Military Band of the Scots Guards 2013 US tour. The Band of the Scots Guards and the Pipes, Drums […]
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20th March 2013 Paris, France
Economic and high-tech cooperation
The big theme for me this week has been the economic and high-tech co-operation between Britain and France. In terms of economies, we had Boris Johnson, the Major of London, in Paris last week. He gave a number of media interviews but also a big speech to businessmen here, in which his main theme is […]
20th March 2013 Bucharest, Romania
Restart: Chevening Alumni network
I invited our colleague Ian Saunders to tell us more about our network of Chevening alumni and scholars with whom we reconnected recently. Ian, you have the floor! Attended by nearly 60 fellows and scholars and hosted by the Ambassador at his residence the gathering was a night of pleasant mix of networking and socialising. Among our […]
20th March 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
The Prince’s Trust
What’s it like organising a royal visit? They don’t come round very often in a diplomatic career. But when they do, they present extraordinary opportunities. Last week’s visit by the Prince of Wales and the Duchess of Cornwall was just such an opportunity. It was made all the more meaningful because of the lasting relationship […]