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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
16th February 2012
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Flagging up the Paralympics
On Saturday last, the London 2012 Olympic flag could be seen by anyone driving past the British Embassy in Addis Ababa. Abebe Gidey, well-known sports journalist, kindly raised the flag to mark 200 days to go to the Paralympic Games. His Olympic Dreams Radio Programme has been featuring Ethiopian Olympians in recent weeks. We plan […]
16th February 2012 Athens, Greece
Business is GREAT
The British Embassy always enjoyed a close relationship with the British Hellenic Chamber of Commerce and has been supportive of its objective to enhance trade relations between the two countries. To this end, for the second year running, the Embassy and the BHCC combined forces for this New Year reception and traditional pitta cutting which […]
15th February 2012
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Ukraine: is discounted gas good?
Gas matters. The embassy follows closely talks between Kyiv and Moscow on gas supplies; and between the Ukrainian authorities and the IMF about prices for domestic gas. We care because these talks can affect security of gas supplies to Europe; the Ukrainian economy; Ukraine’s domestic politics; and international relationships. According to the International Energy Agency, […]
14th February 2012 Toronto, Canada
UK announces Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult centre
The Technology Strategy Board (the UK’s national innovation agency) announced last week that a UK-wide consortium would set up the new Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult centre, with sites in Glasgow and Northumberland. You can read the press release here. Wind, wave and tidal power will be crucial components of the UK’s future energy mix if […]
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14th February 2012 Washington DC, USA
Economic Lessons From Valentine’s Day
Ah Valentine’s Day. A day of aspiration, fluttering hearts, yearning and, inevitably, crushing disappointment for some. The lovesick teen waiting for the mailman on 14 February: It’s a bit like policymakers waiting for the latest economic data release on GDP or employment. Hoping for the best; preparing for the worst; often ending up somewhere in […]
14th February 2012
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
London 2012: Gymnasts, Judo and Climate Change
Last week the embassy hosted a reception to celebrate the fact that the 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games this summer in London will be the greenest and most sustainable ever. I was pleased to welcome not only the President of the Ukrainian Paralympics Committee Valeriy Sushkevych, the General Secretary of the Ukrainian Olympic Committee Volodymyr […]
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13th February 2012 Washington DC, USA
A GREAT Night for British Music
If the first two months are any indication, 2012 is shaping up to be a truly GREAT year for the UK. At the Golden Globes back in January, British shows and performers brought home three awards, including Best Miniseries for the smash hit Downton Abbey. Last night’s GRAMMYs kept the momentum rolling. The one and […]
13th February 2012 Washington DC, USA
Two Wheels Good
It’s a steep hill from our apartment in Georgetown to the Embassy in DC. In the mornings, I’ve tried to reconcile myself to this by reminding myself how healthy it is to start the day with a walk up a hill. I’ve had some success. But the journey home was less enjoyable for the first few […]
13th February 2012 USA
Space Weather – Science Fiction or a Real Threat?
The following is a guest post by Kate Von Holle, Senior Policy Advisor for Science and Innovation at the British Embassy in Washington. Space weather sounds like something you would hear about in a Michael Bay movie. At least that was my first impression, or maybe something along the lines of a space hurricane. Instead […]
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13th February 2012
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
The Responsibility of the Press
The backbone of any democracy is an independent, professional and responsible media. Their role is to inform, criticise and stimulate debate. So how can the media be encouraged to step up to this vital role? One initiative launched a few years ago by the UK’s Thomson Foundation – and funded by the British Embassy – is […]