Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs

A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy

17th February 2012 Washington DC, USA

Rosalind Campion portrait

by Rosalind Campion

Counsellor for Global Issues

The science of romance (or the romance of science…)

I have become very fond of the US, despite having been here less than 3 months. But I have to acknowledge that life keeps foiling my penchant for romantic gestures. It’s not that, I should hasten to say, that the US itself lacks romance. I found the soaring skyline and raised L trains in Chicago […]

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17th February 2012

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by Martin Harris

British Ambassador to Ukraine

Less Emergency, More Order

The media are reporting today that the new Prime Minister Mihai Razvan Ungureanu has said the Government should make less use of Emergency Ordinances. This would be welcomed by British investors in Romania. One of the most common concerns I hear from British companies is the need for more predictability in the legislative environment. The […]

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17th February 2012

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by Greg Dorey

Diplomat

Djibouti – An Important Ally

A few days ago I was in Djibouti to present my credentials as the non-resident UK Ambassador. This is an good example of how two countries can have an excellent and mutually fruitful relationship even in the absence of physical Embassies (though in our case at least with an extremely good and well-connected Honorary Consul […]

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16th February 2012

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by Nigel Baker

Ambassador to the Holy See (2011-2016)

British Ministers visit the Holy See

The Delegation of Ministers from the Government of the United Kingdom pictured in St Peter's Square, marking the official start of the two-days visit to the Holy See. The Most Revd Vincent Nichols, Archbishop of Westminster, accompanied the Delegation.

A very intensive 24 hours this week saw the strongest ever delegation of ministers from the United Kingdom – 7 in total, including 4 Cabinet Ministers – paying an official visit to the Holy See. As Baroness Warsi, the leader of the delegation, noted in her speech at the official dinner hosted by Secretary of […]

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16th February 2012

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by Greg Dorey

Diplomat

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 […]

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16th February 2012 Athens, Greece

Sotiris Leontaris

by Sotiris Leontaris

Head of DIT, British Embassy Athens, focusing on the Embassy's commercial work

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 […]

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15th February 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

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, […]

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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

by Peter Matheson

Economic Counsellor

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 […]

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14th February 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

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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