22nd December 2025
Continuing to grow the global alliance for women and girls
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
17th December 2025
MAKING LIFE SAFER, FOR EVERYONE
9th December 2025
Why We Need Data, Courage, and Community
18th November 2011 Toronto, Canada
SIN podcast: Prof. Sir David King
The recent Arthur J. Carty lecture at the University of Waterloo featured Prof. Sir David King (Chief Scientific Adviser to HM Government from 2000 to 2008 and current Director of the Smith School for Enterprise and the Environment; pictured left). Prof. King gave an unchallengeable talk on the importance of good science advice in government, […]
18th November 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Why European governments think opposition trials are flawed
I’ve referred in two recent blogs, What next for Ukraine and What next for Ukraine #2, to what needs to happen in order to move towards the signature and ratification of the EU-Ukraine Association Agreement. There has been good progress recently on negotiating the nuts and bolts of the Agreement, and hopes are rising that […]
Read more on Why European governments think opposition trials are flawed | Reply (6)
18th November 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Obama comes to town
Hot on the heels of the visit by HM The Queen, Canberra played host to US President Obama this week. I attended a dinner at the Parliament and a key note speech he gave to a joint session of both houses of Parliament. By chance I found myself sitting next to PM Gillard’s partner Tim […]
17th November 2011 Chevening, UK
London from a Global Perspective
Ajay Gupta is one of our new 2011-12 Chevening scholars. He is studying for an MSc in Advanced Chemical Engineering at Imperial College London. In this weeks entry, he gives us his first impressions of London life. “Vegetable Malay curry with rice, please.” “Here. Thanks!” – 3rd October 2011, 1:11 pm; I sit in the dining hall […]
17th November 2011 Ottawa, Canada
Dr. Jonathon Pines, Cancer Research UK Director of Research in Cell Division, visits the University of Ottawa
This is Alexandra Weirich( SIN intern) guestblogging about a recent UK scientist visit to Canada. Dr. Jonathon Pines jumped the pond this week to “cross fertilize” (Dr. Pines’ phrase) with researchers in Montreal and Ottawa; that is, to exchange ideas, research approaches, and information with Canadian researchers in the cell cycle field. Dr. Pines is […]
Read more on Dr. Jonathon Pines, Cancer Research UK Director of Research in Cell Division, visits the University of Ottawa | Reply (1)
17th November 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
The King’s Speech: the Power of Partnership
I had the tremendous privilege of being in London last week during His Majesty King Abdullah’s visit. He saw The Queen, Prince Charles, the Prime Minister, Foreign Secretary, Defence Secretary, Duke of York, Parliamentarians, Chatham House and the press. An impressive list by any measure. And a reflection of the importance of the partnership between […]
Read more on The King’s Speech: the Power of Partnership | Reply
17th November 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
We Will Rock You
Some of the things I get involved in doing seem particularly worthwhile. So it was great to be able to host and open a workshop on Theatre Sign-Language Interpreting today at the Embassy. The British Council first introduced this concept, to help deaf and hard of hearing Hungarians to enjoy the theatre more fully, a […]
17th November 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Ukrainians studying worldwide #2
Three young Ukrainians approach me at a conference. Having confirmed my identity, they take me to one side to say how much they have enjoyed doing Masters degrees in the UK and how different it was from their previous experience. I blogged recently about the “WorldWideStudies” programme of the Viktor Pinchuk Foundation to give outstanding […]
16th November 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Ukraine on the way to London 2012
Combine hundreds of enthusiastic schoolchildren, top sporting figures signing autographs, music and razzmatazz and you’re guaranteed a lively event. This was the scene at the “Ukrainian House” on 15 November when the All-Ukrainian campaign “On the way to London” was launched in central Kyiv. I won’t say too much about the event because you can […]
16th November 2011 Windhoek, Namibia
Launch of the new British Business Group (Namibia)
The British High Commission used the opportunity of the UK Minister for Africa’s visit to Namibia this month to launch a new British Business Group (Namibia) on 1 November. On my arrival to Namibia earlier this year, I was delighted to discover a wide range of British businesses operating here. British companies are active across the […]
Read more on Launch of the new British Business Group (Namibia) | Reply (2)