13th May 2024
Value with Values: UK Commitment to Climate Partnership
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
25th April 2024
Reflect & Remember: Anzac Day 2024
23rd April 2024
Good English – A Key to Panama’s Future Success
28th February 2012 Budapest, Hungary
Getting the ball rolling
I’ve been preparing for this job for several months, so it feels great to be here in Budapest at last: and to have been able to present my letters of credence to President Schmitt on just my third day. It was a formal occasion but we managed to talk a little business too – and […]
28th February 2012
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Piracy and Ukraine: why the London conference on Somalia matters
Guest blog by Olena Sadovnik, Media and Digital Comms Officer, British Embassy Kyiv Most of our knowledge about pirates comes from adventure books and movies featuring characters like Long John Silver in Treasure Island or Sinbad the Sailor in Persian folklore. As well as pirate legends, however, piracy itself, unfortunately, has survived over the centuries. […]
Read more on Piracy and Ukraine: why the London conference on Somalia matters | Reply (1)
28th February 2012 London, UK
Unleashing growth and jobs in Europe
I gave a speech yesterday in Brussels at a summit on unleashing growth and jobs which was organised by the Lisbon Council, a think tank. There is no doubt that Europe faces a major crisis. The current difficulties in the Eurozone are having a chilling effect on all our economies. However, I would argue that […]
28th February 2012
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Riding with entrepreneurs – business the Indian way
At the Asia Task Force (ATF) seminars around the UK earlier in February, business speakers, my colleagues and I tried to give some steers to companies new to doing business in India. Inevitably, in a country of 1.2 billion people, and with a business audience covering everything from capital equipment to smoked salmon and spa […]
Read more on Riding with entrepreneurs – business the Indian way | Reply
28th February 2012
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Ethiopia and Britain – an emerging commercial partnership
A year ago today, the British Government published an important White Paper on Trade and Investment (a White Paper in this context is a document presenting Governmental policy preferences, sometimes before legislation is introduced). Trade and investment are critical elements in the British Government’s strategy to promote growth in the UK and move us out […]
Read more on Ethiopia and Britain – an emerging commercial partnership | Reply (1)
27th February 2012 Washington DC, USA
UK-Texas ties run deep
The following is a guest post by Andrew Millar, British Consul-General in Houston, Texas. It has been an exciting few days for us here in Texas. We had the honour of hosting Chancellor of the Exchequer George Osborne and Sir Peter Westmacott, the UK Ambassador in Washington. As the Consul General in Houston, and thus […]
27th February 2012 London, UK
How the EU is encouraging Arab League efforts to resolve the crisis in Syria
The situation in Syria continues to shock and appal all those who see the images on our televisions or hear and read the testimonies of those affected by the Assad regime’s brutal repression of the Syrian people. Over 6,000 people people have died in the 11 months since the uprising in Syria began and it […]
Read more on How the EU is encouraging Arab League efforts to resolve the crisis in Syria | Reply
27th February 2012
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Multi-culturalism, the Ukrainian “Brand”, and politically-motivated trials
I gave an interview to Korrespondent magazine recently which appeared in Russian in the paper edition on 24 February. It’s now available on-line. The interview, also in English on our web-site, covers issues such as multi-culturism, Ukraine’s relationship with the EU; how to improve living standards in Ukraine; politically-motivated trials; visas; “the Ukrainian brand”; why […]
Read more on Multi-culturalism, the Ukrainian “Brand”, and politically-motivated trials | Reply (5)
27th February 2012 Geneva, Switzerland
From limping to sprinting
What a difference a year makes. 12 months ago the Human Rights Council had just limped to the anaemic conclusion of a year-long review process, with many countries and human rights organisations wondering how much longer they could justify spending time and energy on the Council with little to show for it. During its first […]
27th February 2012
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
EU- Jordan Task Force: What was it all about ?
Many people will have seen the news of Wednesday’s EU-Jordan Task Force at the Dead Sea and will no doubt have been pleased by the announcement of €3 billion of financial aid. But what was this event really about? And why was it important? Understanding Europe’s unique mix of policies, legislation and diplomacy has never […]
Read more on EU- Jordan Task Force: What was it all about ? | Reply