17th May 2024
Reflections on IDAHOBIT: International Day against Homophobia, Biphobia and Transphobia
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
13th May 2024
Value with Values: UK Commitment to Climate Partnership
25th April 2024
Reflect & Remember: Anzac Day 2024
1st July 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Adelaide: Australia’s most English city
Adelaide with its graceful buildings and abundant parkland is sometimes described as the most British, even English, of Australian cities. I certainly found many connections there. The Premier, Mike Rann, is English-born. The Governor, Admiral Kevin Scarce, served in Portsmouth as a young naval officer. And Lord Mayor Stephen Yarwood had just returned from a […]
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30th June 2011 Ottawa, Canada
Happy Canada Day!
In his first video blog High Commissioner Dr. Andrew Pocock wishes Canadians a happy Canada Day, shares his thoughts on the Royal Tour, and invites you to share your UK connection on our facebook page. http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=hxEA1hJKg8w
30th June 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Bribery and corruption
Bribery damages international trade and business, undermines societies, and blights economic development. Like fraud, it damages free enterprise and adds costs to business. It is estimated that corruption adds up to 10% to the total cost of doing business globally, and up to 25% of the cost of procurement contracts in developing countries. In other […]
30th June 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
No bribes, please. We’re British
Britain’s new Bribery Act comes into force tomorrow, 1 July. From tomorrow, British nationals and British companies are subject to new rules which tighten and extend legislation governing their activities overseas. The Bribery Act makes it illegal to give or receive a bribe anywhere in the world. It also requires companies to take steps to […]
30th June 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Ukrainians studying worldwide
Nineteen young men and women stand in a semi-circle as various luminaries (including me) give short speeches about them and their plans. They then sign a contract under which, in return for financial assistance to study at one of the world’s top 200 universities, they undertake to return to Ukraine and work in their area […]
30th June 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
End of Term Report
At the end of the Hungarian EU Presidency, and since I started this blog specifically to cover this period, I should say something about Hungary’s performance in this role. When I focus in on the business agenda, and ignore some of the media coverage that has happened, the Hungarian Presidency has gone well. It hasn’t […]
29th June 2011 London, UK
All walks of life
Rosie Dyas, Head of the FCO’s Child Abduction Section Today is the launch of the FCO’s parental child abduction awareness campaign. In my role as Head of the FCO’s Child Abduction Section, I speak to parents on a daily basis whose children have been taken overseas without their permission. Last year we helped nearly 250 […]
29th June 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Is Ukrainian governance improving?
How important is it that Ukraine clears away a major source of corruption? An apparently obscure piece of legislation offers a useful insight into the challenges facing the way Ukraine’s system of governance works; and a good indication of whether Ukrainian governance is improving. The Ukrainian government agreed in 2010 to adopt a public procurement […]
29th June 2011
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Go Cats: Watching Aussie Rules Football
I was invited to watch a holiday weekend footy match, another Australian tradition. I had decided that I needed to choose an Aussie Rules team to support, so I opted for the Geelong Cats (on the personal advice of the State Premier of Victoria, where the game is mostly played). Geelong President Colin Carter filled […]
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28th June 2011 Islamabad, Pakistan
Recognizing fallen martyrs
On Thursday, I visited the Police Lines headquarters in Islamabad. I was accompanying the UK Foreign Secretary, William Hague, who wanted to pay his respects to the fallen martyrs of the Pakistani police service and to publicly recognise their sacrifices in serving Pakistan and its citizens. Mr Hague laid a wreath at the police monument […]