25th April 2024
Reflect & Remember: Anzac Day 2024
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
23rd April 2024
Good English – A Key to Panama’s Future Success
21st March 2024
Forests in focus on International Day of Forests
7th January 2019 Geneva, Switzerland
Identifying Fallen Soldiers
It is fair to say that the UK and Argentina have had their differences. Yet at the end of 2018 the Permanent Missions of the Argentine Republic and the United Kingdom came together, with the support of the International Committee of the Red Cross (ICRC), to commemorate the completion of a joint humanitarian project to […]
7th January 2019 Port Louis, Mauritius
Armistice 100 – Remembrance Day in Mauritius
It’s been quite some time since my last blog. Twitter seems to have taken over! Remembrance Day and that important opportunity to honour and remember those who gave so much seemed like a very good occasion to get started again. Honouring those who served in the Arctic Convoys of the Second World War was a […]
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27th December 2018 Vientiane, Laos
A long road ahead for girls’ education
Guest blog by Martin Couch, Acting Deputy Head of Mission at the British Embassy in Laos: A surprise visit to Nongdeng village in Xamnue district, Huaphan province (remote northern Laos) Thank you Ambassador Hugh Evans for letting me post a blog about my short time here in Laos. As someone who works in the Foreign and […]
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24th December 2018
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Saying goodbye to Paddy
This weekend the UK and Bosnia and Herzegovina (BiH) lost a dear friend, with the passing of Lord Ashdown. ‘Paddy’ was a nickname from childhood, but one he continued to use throughout his life, and by which he will be remembered across BiH. Much has already been written about his powerful contribution to British politics, […]
20th December 2018 Toronto, Canada
Our Science and Innovation Relationship with Canada: Revamped!
Spotify, Shopify, Shazam, Hootsuite. The United Kingdom (UK) and Canada are home to some of the most innovative and successful companies in the world thanks to vibrant ecosystems of world leading incubators and universities, strong government support and highly skilled talent in both countries. I am a science and innovation diplomat for the UK government […]
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20th December 2018 Skopje, North Macedonia
Alone we can do so little, together we can do so much
I spend much of my time in meetings in offices with people who are involved in politics in Macedonia, or who work on research in civil society, organise public debates, draft legislation, or advise on official strategies. More rarely do I get to meet the every-day youth of Macedonia. So I was thrilled when a few […]
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19th December 2018 Science and Innovation Network
A Year of Arctic Adventures from UK Science and Innovation Network Arctic leads
It’s nearly Christmas – the time when we tend to look back on the past twelve months to reflect on the outcomes and celebrate the successes as we transition into the New Year. 2018 has certainly been eventful on the Arctic science front for the UK. Now if we were to try and recap some […]
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19th December 2018 Vienna, Austria
Awesome Austrian engineering: the Brenner Base Tunnel
Daylight fades as our vehicle enters the shaft. Ahead, a vast tunnel plunges into the mountain, fluorescent wall lights stretching into the haze ahead. Rumbling conveyor belts overhead bring debris from distant tunnel-boring machines towards the surface. We are visiting the Brenner Base Tunnel, at 64 kilometers (40 miles) the longest railway tunnel in the world. […]
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12th December 2018 Hanoi
Maritime security cooperation and the importance of the rules based international system
Earlier this week, international experts came together in Hanoi to discuss maritime security. We were involved – the Embassies of Britain, France and Australia and the Diplomatic Academy of Vietnam – because, our four countries are maritime nations that rely on sea trade routes and freedom of navigation across the globe. The rules which constitute […]
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12th December 2018 Vienna, Austria
A great Henry Moore in Vienna: domes, hills and protective parents
When I lived in Vienna in the 1980s I used to walk to work every day through the Karlsplatz. My path took my past the magnificent Karlskirche, completed in 1737. I also used to admire the beautiful elliptical pond, from which rose a large bronze work by the British sculptor Henry Moore, “Hill Arches”, installed […]
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