3rd December 2024
RENEWING OLD TIES: THE NEW BISHOP OF LONDON
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
25th November 2024
The climate crisis and gender-based violence
8th November 2024
Ecolabels: A Catalyst for Sustainable Food Choices?
15th December 2011 USA
Durban: A cause for optimism
For those of us actively working toward successful international negotiations on climate change, the most recent meeting in Durban, South Africa seems like cause for optimism this holiday season. The UN climate talks wrapped up last weekend with over 120 countries (including major economies such as the United States) forming a coalition behind the EU’s […]
15th December 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
British ambassador serves Ukrainian wine
How good does wine have to be to be served at the residence of the British ambassador in Ukraine? The answer is that taste in wine is a pretty subjective issue; but that I’m always on the look-out for good Ukrainian products and, of course, for value for money. I’m also keen on promoting good […]
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15th December 2011 Bucharest, Romania
Shadowing Lord Green in Warsaw
I spent a couple of days with my colleagues at the British Embassy in Poland during the visit of Lord Green, Minister for Trade and Investment, to discuss commercial opportunities in Central and Eastern Europe and also to launch the “Emerging Europe” brand. With Poland and Romania the 6th and the 7th largest countries in […]
15th December 2011 Beirut, Lebanon
LEBANON – BEWITCHED, BEDAZZLED AND BEWILDERED
I have now been in Beirut over three months. The Lebanese tell me that the more you learn about this extraordinary country, the less you understand. So I fear that my first impressions could become more confused over the next three years. The contrasts of Lebanon are a well worn cliché, but still hit the […]
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14th December 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Re-innovating the Rubik’s Cube
Remember the Rubik’s Cube, the toy that every British schoolboy had to have in the early 80s, alongside a copy of The Beano? I thought it had gone the way of the Dodo, until I saw it on the front page of the Wall Street Journal this morning. The gist of James Hookway’s article is […]
14th December 2011 Chevening, UK
Chevening: Leading the way for bio-entrepreneurs
This week, rather than a blog from one of our Chevening alumni, we are delighted to be able to share with you all the news that Philippine Chevening scholar Maria Antonia “Maoi” Arroyo has recently been recognised in the prestigious annual TOYM (Ten Outstanding Young Men) awards that recognise selected young individuals and their achievements that have […]
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14th December 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Britain – open for business
Several people have asked me this week what the outcome of last week’s meeting of EU Heads of State and Government, the European Council, means. I can’t do better than point you towards this excellent blog by my colleague Scott Wightman, British Ambassador in Seoul. The key point is that the UK’s interests in the […]
14th December 2011 Islamabad, Pakistan
Picking a scholarship winner
Young Pakistanis never fail to inspire me. I have the privilege of a couple of weeks ago of helping to select one graduate to go on a scholarship to one of Britain’s leading Universities. How interesting and how tough it was! Nearly two hundred application forms had to be sifted, giving a wonderful glimpse into […]
14th December 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
New British citizens
I had the very pleasant experience today of conducting my first Citizenship Ceremony, in which we conferred British citizenship on seven people at the High Commission in Canberra. They were all Australians who were acquiring citizenship through family links or through naturalisation after living in the UK for some time. It used to be the case […]
13th December 2011 Toronto, Canada
McMaster International Forum on R&D
The McMaster International Forum on R&D was held in Hamilton (ON) back in September, and I was fortunate enough to be invited to attend. The Forum brought together a group of academic, business and government leaders to explore the role of research-intensive universities and other stakeholders in stimulating innovation, with a particular view to international […]