8th November 2024
Ecolabels: A Catalyst for Sustainable Food Choices?
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
17th October 2024
OSLOBOĐENJE BEOGRADA
11th October 2024
Busting the gender myths – women and organised crime
13th December 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Has Europe Lost its Soul?
The chatter in Europe over the last few weeks has been dominated by the economic crisis. Can the Euro be saved? Is Britain isolated? Who is to blame? What do the markets think? The Chief Rabbi of the United Hebrew Congregations of the Commonwealth, Lord Jonathan Sacks, also discussed the European economic crisis during his […]
8th December 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Corporate raiding a serious threat to the Ukrainian economy
The UNIAN news agency interviewed me this week. In case you have not seen it you can read the full interview here (in English) or here (in Ukrainian).
Read more on Corporate raiding a serious threat to the Ukrainian economy | Reply
7th December 2011 Ottawa, Canada
SIN podcast: Dr. Adrian Bird on epigenetics
The Gairdner Awards are Canada’s foremost international awards, given to outstanding medical researchers who have made a significant contribution to the quality of human life. The 2011 recipients include Dr. Michael Hayden, Dr. Jules Hoffmann (who also won the 2011 Nobel Prize in Physiology or Medicine) and Dr. Adrian Bird of the University of Edinburgh. […]
Read more on SIN podcast: Dr. Adrian Bird on epigenetics | Reply (1)
7th December 2011 London, UK
Thoughts from the OSCE Ministerial Council
I commend the Lithuanian Chairmanship in Office which has pursued a challenging agenda for the OSCE this year and I hope this Ministerial Council will both consolidate their excellent efforts and commit to realising future positive change across the OSCE area and beyond. I take a very keen interest in what has been happening in […]
Read more on Thoughts from the OSCE Ministerial Council | Reply
7th December 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Romania – better transport, less greenhouse gas
Yesterday I opened a new intermodal transport hub in the west of Bucharest, a new 6.4 million euro British investment in Romania run by the company Tibbett Logistics. This state-of-the-art terminal will allow freight trains to be off-loaded right in the centre of “Europolis”, the main industrial park in Bucharest. It’s an important development for […]
Read more on Romania – better transport, less greenhouse gas | Reply (1)
7th December 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Ukrainian economy: how to be optimistic
It’s often said that bureaucrats and businessmen do not mix. But the opposite is true when I hold a reception at the residence to mark the national rollout of “Youth Business Ukraine”. I’m often accused of being too optimistic about Ukraine. Others accuse me of being too pessimistic. But it’s difficult not to be optimistic […]
Read more on Ukrainian economy: how to be optimistic | Reply (1)
7th December 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Holy See joins International Organisation for Migration
Good news this week as the Holy See on 5 December joined the Geneva-based International Organisation for Migration (IOM). Why is this important? The Holy See’s “Ambassador” (Permanent Observer) to the UN in Geneva, Archbishop Silvano Tomasi, summed it up well in an interview he gave to Vatican Radio: “as we are witnessing a continuous […]
Read more on Holy See joins International Organisation for Migration | Reply
6th December 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Manufacturing – it’s what the UK’s still good at and we’re going to get even stronger.
The Cleveland Indians, the Cleveland Browns, the Rock and Roll Hall of Fame, Buckeyes. That’s just a few of the things associated with Cleveland in Northeast Ohio, home of my in-laws. But manufacturing has also traditionally been a part of Cleveland and Ohio’s landscape too. I was in Cleveland on 31 October and 1 November […]
Read more on Manufacturing – it’s what the UK’s still good at and we’re going to get even stronger. | Reply
6th December 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Donetsk, Ukraine and the EU
What would the great Welshman and founder of Donetsk, John Hughes, think of Ukraine today? I was privileged to be invited to Donetsk recently to give the inaugural John Hughes memorial speech. My audience was the Donetsk Chamber of Commerce and the British Ukrainian Chamber of Commerce. In the speech I paid tribute to John […]
6th December 2011 Geneva, Switzerland
Syria in the spotlight
The Human Rights Council turned its attention to Syria again on Friday last week with another Special Session called by the EU- the 3rd consecutive time in 7 months it had met in response to the Assad regime’s ongoing brutality. This level of attention is a clear indication of the international outrage at what is going […]