Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs

A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy

17th November 2010

Avatar photo

by Greg Dorey

Diplomat

Sharing best practice

Taking on the rotating EU Presidency for the first time is a huge challenge (even with the reduced Presidency role following the Lisbon Treaty). And it’s a massive learning opportunity too. Thankfully there are many friends standing by to help out at this difficult time and the UK is one of the foremost. On previous […]

Read more on Sharing best practice | Reply

16th November 2010

Avatar photo

by Leigh Turner

Ambassador to Austria and UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Vienna

Boosting Ukrainian healthcare

How does the life expectancy of the average Ukrainian compare with the world average – or that of any other country?  To find out, check out this brilliant World Bank web-site.  All you have to do is to click on “world” or on the country of your choice in the list on the left-hand side […]

Read more on Boosting Ukrainian healthcare | Reply

16th November 2010 Chevening, UK

Dundee, Ukraine, Nigeria

I’m experiencing the best times of my life. The people in Scotland as well as the international students are fantastic. Local people organised a lot of greeting parties and tours outside of Dundee. I already visited some places where Harry Potter was filmed. And of course Edinburgh…Speechless… Oleh Krykavskyy, a Chevening scholar from Ukraine, currently […]

Read more on Dundee, Ukraine, Nigeria | Reply

15th November 2010

Avatar photo

by Greg Dorey

Diplomat

Lest we forget

For the last couple of weeks I and colleagues from the British Embassy have been wearing artificial poppies in our lapels or pinned to our clothes. And lots of Hungarian friends and acquaintances have been asking me why we do this. So I have been pleased to have the chance to explain to them that […]

Read more on Lest we forget | Reply

15th November 2010

Avatar photo

by Martin Harris

British Ambassador to Ukraine

Comana: Remembering Romanians’ respect

This is the time of year when we remember all those killed in the First and Second World Wars, and in the conflicts since. Yesterday I visited Comana, a beautiful nature reserve and monastery not far from Bucharest. I was there with a large team from the Embassy and a number of our partners from […]

Read more on Comana: Remembering Romanians’ respect | Reply

15th November 2010

Avatar photo

by Leigh Turner

Ambassador to Austria and UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Vienna

Boosting skills for employability in Ukraine

I often host events in Kyiv highlighting and promoting the growing number of young Ukrainians who are obtaining top quality academic degrees through studying in UK universities or through distance programmes, including MBAs which are delivered through UK-Ukrainian partnerships.  But we recently hosted a British Council event designed to promote the equally important area of […]

Read more on Boosting skills for employability in Ukraine | Reply

14th November 2010

Avatar photo

by Greg Dorey

Diplomat

Africa comes to Hungary

It was a real delight to be able to host a reception at the British Residence tonight so that our contacts interested in environmental issues could come and meet Doctor (and Dame) Jane Goodall. I’m sure I don’t need to explain in detail to most readers of this blog who Jane is – but in […]

Read more on Africa comes to Hungary | Reply