Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs

A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy

24th January 2017 London, UK

Sue Breeze

Sue Breeze

Head of Human Rights for a Stable World Team

The Holocaust: Why is it still relevant today?

Introduction by Rob Fenn, Head of Human Rights & Democracy Department: By any standards, 2016 was a dramatic year. Finding myself in interesting times, my personal reaction has been to read history. My phone is now crammed with adventure novels set in an equally tumultuous period for the UK, the mid 17th Century – and […]

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23rd January 2017 London, UK

David Sproul

David Sproul

Senior Partner and Chief Executive, Deloitte

The UK is number one for inward investment

Now is the time to Invest in GREAT Britain is the clear message that the Department for International Trade set out in their new marketing campaign, launching this week. As the number one destination for inward investment, the campaign will use exciting and little known facts about the UK to demonstrate why so many overseas […]

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23rd January 2017 Geneva, Switzerland

by Julian Braithwaite

Ambassador and Permanent Representative to the UN and other international organisations in Geneva

Ensuring a smooth transition in the WTO as we leave the EU

Last week the British Prime Minister Theresa May set out her plan for Britain’s orderly departure from the European Union. Britain’s transition in the WTO is an important and necessary part of this process. Ensuring that goes smoothly is one of the over-riding priorities of the Mission I lead in Geneva. British ministers in fact […]

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22nd January 2017 London, UK

Vivienne Stern

Vivienne Stern

Director of Universities UK International

2017: What does it hold for universities and international opportunities?

UK universities have astonishing international networks: it’s not just about recruiting international students to study in the UK, there are nearly 650,000 students on UK courses around the world; half of our research publications are produced with at least one international partner; our universities are working with industry partners in China, India, all over Europe, […]

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20th January 2017 Skopje, North Macedonia

Charles Garrett

Charles Garrett

British Ambassador to Macedonia

Записи во дневникот 26 август 2027 година

Во висините на Шар Планина воздухот има вкус како шампањ. По пет часови насладување, бевме уморни, но среќни од нашата прошетка. Драго ми е што сум повторно назад во Македонија. Последен пат пешачев на Шар Планина пред девет години. Тогаш, додека служев како британски амбасадор во Скопје прошетките како оваа денес ми беа прибежиште број […]

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20th January 2017 Skopje, North Macedonia

Charles Garrett

Charles Garrett

British Ambassador to Macedonia

Shënime nga ditari, 26 Gusht 2027

Në malet e larta të Sharit në Maqedoni, ajri ka shije të shampanjës. Pas pesë orëve duke e pirë, ecja jonë sot na raskapiti por na gazmoi. Është e mrekullueshme të rikthehem në Maqedoni. Ka nëntë vjet që nga çasti kur eca në Malin Sharr. Aso kohe, kur isha në postin e Ambasadorit Britanik në […]

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20th January 2017 Gaborone, Botswana

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by Katharine Ransome

British High Commissioner to Botswana and UK Representative to the Southern Africa Development Community

A Global Britain: Planning for Brexit

January is traditionally a time for looking ahead and setting out a vision for the year. For some of us, our goals may be simple – more time with family, lose weight, travel or study. For politicians however, sometimes the vision encompasses a major or historic change in international relations. UK Prime Minister Theresa May […]

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19th January 2017 Austria, Vienna

Alex Hammond

Alex Hammond

Digital Communication Officer, BE Vienna

How and why we hosted an Instagram event

A photographer is on his knees, stealthily taking pictures of Ambassador Leigh Turner from behind a Christmas tree. Another stands in the corner, facing the wall. Unnoticed by the other guests, she points her camera at the ceiling and triggers the shutter. Has the Ambassador’s residence in Vienna been infiltrated by foreign agents? Not quite. […]

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19th January 2017 London, UK

Sir David Bell

Sir David Bell

Vice-Chancellor of the University of Reading

This is the decade for UK universities to be bold, brave and ambitious.

This is the decade for UK universities to be bold, brave and ambitious. We are going through the most challenging period since the huge expansion of higher education in the 1960s – and it requires a fundamental rethink to how we operate. That includes everything from our culture and outlook to how we market ourselves […]

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