Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs

A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy

9th October 2012 London, UK

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by Rob Fenn

Head of Human Rights and Democracy Department, FCO

My unforgettable Olympic experience

In her guest blog, Brunei’s first female Olympian, Maziah Mahusin (who is also the Sultanate’s 400m record holder, since the Games), describes what it felt like to carry the nation’s flag into the Stadium; to run for her country (despite a virus), and to meet Usain Bolt and Her Majesty The Queen. Back in Brunei […]

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8th October 2012

by Judith Macgregor

British High Commissioner to South Africa

Green days in Mexico

We are looking forward to Green Solutions and Energy Day this week Every year more British companies in the renewable energy and environmental sectors come to Mexico to learn about the wide business opportunities in the region. My team of UKTI hosted 8 British companies in the UK pavilion during the GREEN Expo last week. This includes […]

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8th October 2012 New York, USA

Using Social to Go Global

LONDON – British companies growing overseas learned about using social as a way to connect to potential clients and partners at Google’s campus in Tech City during Social Media Week London.  The very well-connected and new-to-social crowd had the opportunity to engage with experts from government and industry.  I had the opportunity to speak on […]

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8th October 2012

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by Paul Johnston

Ambassador to Ireland

Medicines and modernisation

An appropriate issue to blog about on the day a British biologist, Sir John Gurdon, wins the Nobel Prize for Physiology or Medicine. Sir John’s research on nuclear transfer in frogs in 1962 shattered the dogma that cells only develop in one direction – from young cells to mature cells.  He showed that differentiated or […]

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7th October 2012 Harare, Zimbabwe

Catriona Laing

by Catriona Laing

British Ambassador to Zimbabwe

Helmand: Reflections from PRT Joint Head of Politics – Nick Baker

As part of my guest blogger series I have invited the departing Joint Head of the PRT Politics Team , Nick Baker to blog about the change in Governor to Helmand and his time in Lashkar Gah. Last month Governor Mangal was replaced.  This is the most significant political event in Helmand for the last four […]

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5th October 2012

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by Nigel Baker

Ambassador to the Holy See (2011-2016)

Looking towards the Synod

Amidst the media frenzy over the trial of the Pope’s butler, and betting shop speculation over the appointment of the next Archbishop of Canterbury, you could be forgiven for forgetting that the coming week will see a series of significant events and milestones: the Opening of the Synod of Bishops in Rome, the formal declaration […]

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5th October 2012 Warsaw, Poland

Martin Oxley, Head, UKTI Poland

by Martin Oxley

Director of UKTI Warsaw

Great British Nuclear Expertise

Been in London this week to address the Autumn gathering of the UK Nuclear Industry Association. Emerging Europe taking its rightful place at the global nuclear table. Civil nuclear is really something where the UK is a world leader. Emerging Europe nuclear is probably the single biggest high value opportunity which UK Plc has in […]

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4th October 2012

Robin Twyman

by Robin Twyman

Consul for Business and Government Affairs

Nuts: nonsense, rubbish (Oxford English Dictionary)

Here in the British Embassy’s trade team, we’re just as likely to be in downtown DC extolling the virtues of free trade and why Britain’s open for business to anyone and everyone who will listen as we are tied to our desks doing the more traditional reporting roles expected of Embassy officials.   That’s all […]

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4th October 2012

Robin Twyman

by Robin Twyman

Consul for Business and Government Affairs

Out with the Red Tape, On with the Music

The following is a guest post by Cassie Rowlands, Intern with the Global Issues Group at the British Embassy in Washington. Some of the greatest British musicians started out in local venues across the UK and it’s important to remember where they came from: their local pub. There’s something about enjoying live music and not […]

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4th October 2012

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by Leigh Turner

Ambassador to Austria and UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Vienna

Britain in Turkey

$56 billion of infrastructural investment opportunities. New airports, bridges, motorways, ports and healthcare opportunities running up to 2023. Top-level political support from the British and Turkish Governments. All this is the background to this week’s visit to Turkey by Deputy Prime Minister Nick Clegg and Business and Enterprise Minister Michael Fallon, accompanied by a top-level […]

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