Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs

A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy

27th March 2012 Ottawa, Canada

Low-carbon opportunities

I was at GLOBE 2012 in Vancouver, from 14-16 March. The conference looked at environmental, energy and sustainability issues. I’ve recorded a short video blog, which touches on the subjects and talks briefly about the London Olympics. Do watch it, and I hope it’s of interest. Many thanks. Andrew

Read more on Low-carbon opportunities | Reply

26th March 2012 Washington DC, USA

James Barbour

by James Barbour

Press Secretary and Head of Communications

Prime Ministerial March Mayhem

UK in the USA

While most of America may have spent last week focussed on brackets and upsets, we had our own bit of March Madness here in DC: an official visit from Prime Minister David Cameron and his wife Samantha, as well as the Chancellor and Foreign Secretary. And what a visit it was. I was on the […]

Read more on Prime Ministerial March Mayhem | Reply

26th March 2012 Guatemala City, Guatemala

by David McNaught

Deputy Head of Mission, British Embassy, Guatemala

The Falkland Islands and self-determination

Now that Julie Chappell has sadly left Guatemala at the end of her posting, I’m taking over blogging responsibilities here. I have been in Guatemala since August 2009 as Deputy Head of Mission in the Embassy, but for the next few months I’ll be stand-in Ambassador – Charge d’Affaires in diplomatic speak – until the […]

Read more on The Falkland Islands and self-determination | Reply (2)

26th March 2012 Geneva, Switzerland

Avatar photo

by Bob Last

Head, UK Mission Political and Human Rights Team

Council Catharsis

For every Council delegate there is  one resolution, above all others, whose success or failure takes over their life. It  dominates their working hours and prays on their subconscious mind even during the little sleep it’s possible to squeeze in. For me, it was Sri Lanka. There was a huge amount riding on the United […]

Read more on Council Catharsis | Reply (2)

25th March 2012

Avatar photo

by Peter Millett

Ambassador to Libya, Tripoli

“Water, water everywhere…”

“… but not a drop to drink”  said the old sailor adrift on the unforgiving ocean. There’s been plenty of water in Jordan in the last 3 months. Raindrops kept falling on our heads and we even had a weekend of snow in Amman. We should be happy because the dams are filling up. Maybe […]

Read more on “Water, water everywhere…” | Reply (4)

23rd March 2012

Avatar photo

by Leigh Turner

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

Ukraine’s 2012 elections: a welcome move

I blogged last week about how an early invitation to OSCE/ODIHR1 to send observers to the October 2012 parliamentary elections would be a “quick win” to help Ukraine show its commitment to democracy.  I subsequently saw a tweet from Foreign Minister Hryshchenko on 19 March saying that he had just signed off such an invitation.  […]

Read more on Ukraine’s 2012 elections: a welcome move | Reply

22nd March 2012

Avatar photo

by Leigh Turner

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

Ukrainian economic success?

I am frequently alerted by commercial contacts to difficulties with the Ukrainian business environment; and have often blogged on this subject.  So it was interesting to hear from a leading independent economist recently the view that there had been some progress on macroeconomic reform recently.  The economist said this had included: – The 2011 Pension reform […]

Read more on Ukrainian economic success? | Reply (3)

22nd March 2012

Avatar photo

by Greg Dorey

Diplomat

Art for development

The EVERY ONE Campaign Tour exhibition showcases the artistic journey which is creating widespread awareness about maternal and child mortality in Ethiopia. I visited it yesterday, with my colleague Betty. The EVERY ONE campaign, initiated by Save the Children UK, aims to help Ethiopia achieve the global Millennium Development Goals (MDGs) 4 and 5 (reducing […]

Read more on Art for development | Reply (6)

21st March 2012

Avatar photo

by Paul Madden

British Ambassador to Japan

GREAT campaign launch at Melbourne Grand Prix

Our Sports and Olympics Minister Hugh Robertson MP was in Melbourne this weekend to launch the GREAT campaign in Australia. This marketing campaign, which is running in ten countries around the world, aims to build on the fact that London and the UK will be a focus of world attention this year, with The Queen’s Diamond […]

Read more on GREAT campaign launch at Melbourne Grand Prix | Reply