2nd December 2025
In cybersecurity, there are no limits – only new voices ready to lead
Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs
A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy
14th October 2025
Lost and Found (but mostly lost)
13th October 2025
UK Special Envoy for Women and Girls: September visits to Sarajevo and New York
28th March 2018 Vienna, Austria
Trade and comparative advantage: why Harry Kane doesn’t mow his own lawn
As a British diplomat in Austria (I am Second Secretary for Economic and EU issues), I have found one of the most surprising things about Austrian politics is how people feel about trade. Austria’s export ratio (i.e. goods exports as a ratio of GDP) is high – 52%, compared to the High Income Country average […]
Read more on Trade and comparative advantage: why Harry Kane doesn’t mow his own lawn | Reply (1)
26th March 2018 Kolkata, India
Baked earth
The pile of bricks was sitting just outside the entrance to the site. The humble brick has been used for the construction of buildings for longer than recorded history. The myth of a ‘mother earth’ or ‘earth goddess’ is as old. Many ancient civilisations worshiped a female deity who represented the fertility of the soil. […]
26th March 2018 Tokyo, Japan
Shall we dance
You may have seen the 1996 Japanese movie Shall We Dance, about a “sarariman”, or office worker, who found meaning in his humdrum life by taking up ballroom dancing classes. It was one of the most popular Japanese films ever to reach an international audience. I was delighted that its star, Tamiyo Kusakari, and its director, […]
23rd March 2018 Vienna, Austria
“The Hare with Amber Eyes” and other Vienna treasures
What are the greatest treasures in Vienna? What can you see? And what is lost? I was privileged recently to attend a press conference at the Jewish Museum in Vienna at which Victor de Waal and museum Director Danielle Spera announced important news which connects the UK to Austria. The de Waal and Ephrussi families […]
Read more on “The Hare with Amber Eyes” and other Vienna treasures | Reply
19th March 2018 Geneva, Switzerland
The Chill Factor
Since the number of blog followers clamouring for a Council update has now reached single figures (thanks Nuala) I thought I’d better respond. It’s been busy. And cold. But mostly busy. As the 3rd week of the session came to end, UN staff voted to go on strike over impending allowance cuts, which suspended the […]
19th March 2018 Skopje, North Macedonia
UK pulled Macedonia out of Brussels’ hostage and moved it to New York
Goran Mihajlovski is one of the journalists in Macedonia that has followed closely the relations between the UK and Macedonia since their early days. As part of marking the 25 years of relationship we asked Goran to give us his experience of the early 1990s and the British-Macedonian links. Amb Garrett: How do you remember […]
Read more on UK pulled Macedonia out of Brussels’ hostage and moved it to New York | Reply
19th March 2018 Skopje, North Macedonia
Британија ја извлече Македонија од заложништвото на Брисел и ја пресели во Њујорк
Горан Михајловски е еден од неколкумина новинари кои одблиску ги покривале настаните во раните 1990-ти кога Британија и Македонија воспоставувале дипломатски односи. По повод 25 години билатерални односи Британија – Македонија го прашавме Горан да се потсети на тие денови. Амб Гарет: Какво ти е сеќавањето за воспоставувањето на билатералните односи меѓу Британија и Македонија? […]
Read more on Британија ја извлече Македонија од заложништвото на Брисел и ја пресели во Њујорк | Reply
19th March 2018 Skopje, North Macedonia
Mbretëria e Bashkuar e zhvendosi Maqedoninë nga Brukseli në Nju Jork
Britania dhe Maqedonia kanë marrëdhënie diplomatike nga viti 1993. Me rastin e 25 vjetorit e pyetëm Goran Mihajlovskin për kujtimet e tij mbi fillimin e miqësisë britaniko-maqedonase. Ambasadori Garet: Ç’kujtime keni për vendosjen e marrëdhënieve dypalëshe mes Britanisë dhe Maqedonisë? Mihajlovski: Në dhjetor të vitit 1993 isha gazetar në rubrikën politike të gazetës “Veçer”. Por […]
Read more on Mbretëria e Bashkuar e zhvendosi Maqedoninë nga Brukseli në Nju Jork | Reply
19th March 2018 Delhi, India
Cross Catapult Collaboration
‘My success will not depend on what A or B thinks of me. My success will be what I make of my work.’ This quote by the namesake of the Newton-Bhabha Fund, Homi J. Bhabha, aptly describes the work of the UK Catapult Centres. Simply put, Catapults get things done when it comes to finding […]
15th March 2018 Stockholm, Sweden
Update on UK response to the Salisbury Incident
On Monday the UK Prime Minister, Theresa May, addressed Parliament on the latest information from the investigation of the poisoning of Mr Skripal and his daughter on 4th March. She said that they were poisoned with Novichok: a military grade nerve agent developed by Russia. And that based on Russia’s capability, combined with their record […]
Read more on Update on UK response to the Salisbury Incident | Reply