20th September 2019
Beirut, Lebanon
This time last year was one of the highlights of my career – presenting Queen Elizabeth’s letter to President Aoun that nominated me as Ambassador. The anniversary has allowed reflection on the year: for Lebanon, and for the UK. My first 12 months in Lebanon has been remarkable. Rolls Royce and MEA signed our largest […]
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8th March 2017
Beirut, Lebanon
I’ve said it before and I’ll say it again: Lebanon is a beautiful country. Its young people are some of the most talented in the world; its workforce one of the best educated; its businessmen amongst the most savvy and its artists among the most creative. But there is something else I need to say […]
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8th September 2016
Beirut, Lebanon
It is now a year since I took up my appointment as UK Ambassador (designate) to Lebanon. It’s time to admit that, for all the wonderful experiences of my first year in this beautiful and welcoming country, there has been one big disappointment: Lebanon’s failure to elect a new President. And this is fundamental, because […]
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25th May 2016
Beirut, Lebanon
Lebanon “commemorates” today the two year anniversary since it last had a President. Notre Dame University recently marked the 500th anniversary of the publication of Thomas More’s Utopia. Erasmus thought More’s genius was “such as England never had and never again will have.” But beyond his national importance to my country, I think Thomas More […]
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21st December 2015
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
As we celebrate Christmas, it is right to think of those Christian families who will find it difficult to enjoy the good cheer that we take for granted at this time. They are those who are being persecuted or discriminated against for their faith, who are refugees because they were forced to flee for their […]
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10th December 2015
Beirut, Lebanon
Preamble C: “…respect for public liberties, especially the freedom of opinion and belief, and respect for social justice and equality of rights.” Art. 7: the right to “… be equal before the law” Art. 8: “Individual liberty is guaranteed and protected by law.” Art. 13: “The freedom to express one’s opinion orally or in writing, […]
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22nd November 2015
Beirut, Lebanon
Independence Day is an opportunity to commemorate the birth of Lebanon as a state. This occasion comes a few months after my arrival here as Ambassador, and this weekend I have been reflecting on the nature of the Lebanese nation. Lebanon, the land of the phoenix, the eternal Cedars and 6000 years of history came […]
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1st July 2015
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
This is a networked world. And yet there are few genuinely global networks out there. By that I mean networks that have a capacity to operate globally, co-ordinated centrally but operating in capillary fashion, horizontally in a radial pattern as well as vertically in a hub and spoke model. One of the reasons why we […]
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12th March 2015
Beirut, Lebanon
On the first anniversary of the Syria conflict, I wrote about the staggering impact it had already had – those numbers seem small now. On the second anniversary, I wrote about the generosity of Syria’s neighbours and parts of the international community, the frustrations of diplomacy, and the need to maintain a sense of rage. […]
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27th February 2015
Beirut, Lebanon
I spend a lot of time in universities, talking with students about their hopes for the region and their perceptions of the UK. Lebanon has always been a good place to listen to the currents surging through the Middle East. These sessions are always lively, surprising, challenging. It is foolish to try to generalise about […]
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