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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)
11th March 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Free Exchange on Free Movement
One of my followers on Twitter (@HMAMartinHarris) urged me last week to: “please untangle the politicians heads. UK and Romania should be partners.” I want to offer reassurance on two counts. Firstly – the UK and Romania are partners, on a very broad range of issues. Second – the politicians are putting their heads together […]
11th March 2013 Toronto, Canada
11 March 2013: Commonwealth Day
The second Monday in March is Commonwealth Day, a celebration of the Commonwealth of Nations and a brief reminder of why it’s one of the nicest intergovernmental clubs to belong to. Opportunity through Enterprise is the Commonwealth theme for 2013, an apt choice given the ongoing financial turmoil in wealthy nations and the continuing rise […]
11th March 2013 Dushanbe, Tajikistan
Mothers Schools – by Lea von Martius
In February 2013, in the sunny mountains of northern Tajikistan, in the city of Khujand, a group of pioneering female leaders came together to elaborate a curriculum to raise awareness among mothers for their role in confronting violent extremism and radicalization. Together with Tajik NGO ASTI, Women without Borders/SAVE developed the innovative concept of the […]
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8th March 2013 Warsaw, Poland
Inward Investment is GREAT – are you a Polish company looking into the UK?
Hit the road today – destination Krakow, a specialist seminar focused on inward investment into the UK. 30 great companies, some already in the UK, a number looking for strong growth, some interested to learn more about the exciting opportunities on offer. I have to congratulate our programme partners the BPCC and Deloitte on a […]
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8th March 2013 Washington DC, USA
Daylight Savings Time – the economics of economising on sleep
In the United States this weekend, the clocks will go forward one hour. At precisely 1.59:59 on Sunday, our clocks will wind forward a whole hour to 3am. We will have leapt forward into spring as the saying goes and observe Daylight Savings Time (DST). The mornings will become darker and the evenings lighter. In […]
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8th March 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
The Falklands referendum – the islanders’ right to be heard and to decide
On 10th and 11th March voters in the Falkland Islands will be taking part in a referendum on whether they want to stay being British. They have decided to organise the referendum because they want the world to hear what they think and want for the islands where they live and for future generations. They want […]
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8th March 2013 British High Commission, Kingston, Jamaica
The Girls of Substance Project
The aim of the Girls of Substance project is to enhance the personal development of at-risk girls ages 12-24…
8th March 2013 Atlanta, USA
‘They have taken my life without killing me.’
These are the words of a rape survivor from the Bosnian conflict, quoted by Haja Zainab Hawa Bangura, the UN Special Representative of the Secretary-General (SRSG) on Sexual Violence in Conflict at a recent meeting in London Bangura spoke about the horrific reality of war for women and girls, where war has been waged not just […]
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8th March 2013 Vancouver, Canada
International Women’s Day – Remembering Bimla
Her name was Bimla… I think. It has been 26 years since I saw her so my memory may have distorted the truth. What I am certain of is her image – high cheek bones, deep hazel eyes, pure skin, long dark hair. She wore a green sari with gold trim and worn sandals. She […]
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8th March 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Women in the Foreign Office: Ambassador to Denmark
To mark International Women’s Day, we are featuring the stories of women who work for the Foreign and Commonwealth Office across our social networks. Vivien Life is the Ambassador to Denmark – she writes about the impressive number of women in Danish politics, bonding over making coffee and the benefits of understanding the concept of […]
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