4th April 2016 Tripoli, Libya
What is better? To bend and survive or to break and fail? This question is central to the concept of compromise. No one can expect to get everything they want. Winning feels good, but is not always possible. In all aspects of life, finding the middle ground is often the most sensible and pragmatic way […]
3rd March 2016 Tripoli, Libya
A few weeks ago a BBC journalist visited Leptis Magna, on the coast east of Tripoli. It contains the remains of one of the most spectacular cities of the Roman Empire with its imposing public monuments, harbour, market-place and residential district. The report included a picture of a lone man standing guard over the ruins. […]
2nd February 2016 Tripoli, Libya
Libya is one of the ten most corrupt countries in the world. So said a report issued by Transparency International last week. So what? Who cares if the wealth of a country is siphoned off into private hands? The people should care. Corruption is the enemy of progress: it stifles development, marginalises prosperity, and undermines […]
26th December 2015 Tripoli, Libya
An orphan, Pip lives with a blacksmith in Victorian England. He dreams of becoming a gentleman. Through many ups and downs, he learns lessons about love and friendship, loyalty and injustice, disappointment and happiness. His experiences eventually make him a better and happier person. This is the theme of Great Expectations, one of the most […]
24th November 2015 Tripoli, Libya
“The whole purpose of education is to turn mirrors into windows.” Is this quotation relevant to today’s Libya? Definitely. The Libyan economy is going down the drain. Oil production and prices are down; the country is spending more than it earns; the black market exchange rate is going up; the cost of living for ordinary […]
Read more on Education: Turning Mirrors into Windows | Reply (1)
29th October 2015 Tripoli, Libya
The people who work for us on Libya got together last month. British Embassy and British Council. Brits and Libyans. The aim was to look at the partnership between different organisations and different people all working for the same goals. To help us work together as a team, we had some open exchanges. The most […]
1st October 2015 Tripoli, Libya
Who am I? I live in a country that sits on enormous wealth. But this country turned in the worst economic performance in the world in 2014 and was 188th out of 189 countries in the World Bank’s Doing Business report. This is Libya. A country with the largest oil reserves in Africa and a […]
27th August 2015 Tripoli, Libya
People love conspiracies. They are more fun than reality. They spread like viruses because they feed popular perceptions. For example: President Obama wasn’t born in Hawaii; the mafia killed JFK; ostriches bury their heads in the sand when they see danger; Ambassadors eat Ferrero Rocher. All widely believed; none true. My experience of dealing with […]
29th July 2015 Tripoli, Libya
“Don’t let the perfect be the enemy of the good” said French writer Voltaire. This saying is relevant to our personal lives and to our actions at work. It is also true in politics. And it springs to mind with the current situation in Libya. At a personal level, we would all like to strive […]
30th June 2015 Tripoli, Libya
I spent most of the first week in my new job as British Ambassador to Libya in Skhirat, Morocco. It was a good chance to meet and get to know the members of the Libyan Political Dialogue. Before arriving in Tunis I concentrated on trying to get an understanding of Libya. If you want to […]