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Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
9th December 2025
Why We Need Data, Courage, and Community
2nd December 2025
In cybersecurity, there are no limits – only new voices ready to lead
31st May 2012
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Why Kyiv is brilliant
The view is astounding. Below, a mighty river winds through a brilliant green landscape. A steep bluff studded with golden domes tumbles down to the shore. Below me are several hundred tonnes of stainless steel. Welcome to one of the world’s great – and least-known – cities. After years of writing blogs about visits to […]
30th May 2012
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
GREAT British Cars
Why buying a second-hand jag puts you in good, competitive company… In the business pages of this Sunday’s Washington Post, Michael Lennox asked whether an aspiring global competitor from a developing economy could use the acquisition of an established Western business to grow its earnings and diversify. Michael’s case in point was Tata’s acquisition in 2008 of […]
30th May 2012
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
British Parliamentarians at Vatican
Seven members of the All-Party Parliamentary Group (APPG) for the Holy See have just visited the Vatican. In a whistle-stop tour, they were able to meet a range of important Holy See officials, including calls at the Secretariat of State and, separately, at Caritas Internationalis. They were also presented to Pope Benedict at the General […]
30th May 2012
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Ukraine: challenges, optimism and the AUGB
Can one be an optimist about Ukraine? When I visited the UK recently I was invited to visit the central office of the Association of Ukrainians in Great Britain (AUGB) in Notting Hill to meet members of the Association and to give a short talk. A couple of people have told me they enjoyed the […]
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30th May 2012 Bangalore, India
Bangalore visits Cambridge
It was very cold and rainy in Cambridge, but the warm welcome we received lifted our spirits! I led a group of academics and entrepreneurs to Cambridge 16 to 20 April to understand the well-known Cambridge Phenomenon first hand, and explore ways to link this great City to the Technology City in India, Bangalore. Both […]
30th May 2012
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Indigenous Scholars head for Cambridge and Oxford
Prime Minister Julia Gillard joined us in congratulating three young indigenous scholars who are going off to study at Oxford and Cambridge. I took them over to Parliament for tea with the PM, after hosting an uplifting scholarship ceremony at my Residence. The British Government is a key partner in the Charlie Perkins indigenous scholarships, […]
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30th May 2012 Islamabad, Pakistan
Lahore: Vibrant, changing and modern
It is 6.30 am Saturday morning in Lahore, the room service waiter points at the TV news and says “that’s you”. I agree that it is, as footage plays of a meeting I had the day before with Nawaz Sharif, PML-N political leader and twice former Prime Minister of Pakistan, and, Shabaz Sharif, his brother […]
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29th May 2012 New York, USA
Tech winds are blowing east
The frenzy surrounding Facebook’s IPO shows the firm grip the thriving tech scene has on public consciousness. The IPO disappointed investors and Facebook is a few billion off its May 18 valuation. Let’s not forget however, that this is an eight-year-old company that is closing in on 1 billion users and employs a staff of […]
29th May 2012 Guatemala City, Guatemala
Dispelling myths and promoting business opportunities in Guatemala
One of our key aims to strengthen commercial links between the UK and Guatemala takes a step forward today with the release of a report by the Caribbean Council on the UK business opportunities in Guatemala. The report, funded by the FCO Commercial Diplomacy Fund, follows a scoping visit to Guatemala in March by the […]
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28th May 2012 Guatemala City, Guatemala
Supporting Guatemalan Charities
Last week it was my pleasure to host an event to hand over the funds we raised – an impressive US$32,800 – at our charity events during British Week 2012, the British Ball and a Beatles Concert, to two deserving Guatemalan charities. To tell you more about it is our latest guest blogger, Paola, our […]