17th June 2013
Beirut, Lebanon
G8 leaders meet today and tomorrow in Northern Ireland, under the UK’s chairmanship. I’ve been lucky enough to be at five G8 Summits. For foreign policy junkies like me, they are an antidote to usual international conferences. The number at the table is small enough for a crunchy discussion. There is greater proximity to leaders. […]
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14th June 2013
Cape Town, South Africa
The G8 There are just a few days left before world leaders convene in Lough Erne, Northern Ireland, on 17-18 June for the G8 Summit. It makes me recall my first job in the Foreign Office – G8 Desk Officer for our 2005 Presidency. Talk about the deep end – just eight months after starting, […]
Read more on G8 2013: taxes, transparency and trade. What could be more exciting? | Reply
13th June 2013
Washington DC, USA
On Monday, the 39th G8 Summit will commence in Northern Ireland. I am looking forward to Northern Ireland being positively highlighted on the global stage for these two days and beyond for a multitude of reasons. I think that the world will be fascinated with not only how beautiful the country is (please let it not […]
Read more on Ahead of the G8 Summit, Northern Ireland flourishes culturally | Reply (1)
6th June 2013
New Delhi, India
Health and disease was one of the major areas identified for collaboration between the UK and India at the Indo-UK Science & Innovation Council last year, and it’s been a regular topic on this blog ever since. Here’s Himangi Bhardwaj, our Health Adviser in New Delhi, bringing the latest news on Indo-UK Health… 19th May […]
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4th June 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
A step towards a safer world was taken in New York on 3 June when the UK, Sweden and 65 other states signed the Arms Trade Treaty (ATT). I worked on the ATT during my time heading the political and security team at the UK delegation in New York between 2005 and 2008. I confess […]
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3rd June 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Some once said that football was a game where England played Germany over 90 minutes and extra time and then the Germans won on penalties. Which is an inelegant way of saying that the UK and Germany are very much together on the reform team in the EU, with Sweden on side as well, of […]
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23rd May 2013
Mumbai, India
With one of the first, hopefully with plenty of the second, and not too much of the third… Having spent 12 blissful months with my baby, it is time for me to resume my role as the science and innovation adviser in Mumbai. This blog is partly to introduce myself as a new author on […]
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21st May 2013
Washington DC, USA
What took place on Friday 17th May, had over 12,000 participants, seventy pit stops, offered free t-shirts and goody bags along the way as well as ‘commuter convoys”, yet was totally free? Answer: ‘Bike-to-Work Day’, Washington DC style. Embracing the life style on offer on the east coast of the USA, many staff from the […]
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5th May 2013
This post was published when the author was in a previous role
Prime Minister Julia Gillard and Defence Minister Stephen Smith launched Australia’s new Defence White Paper in an RAAF hangar in Canberra. They were flanked by Australia’s senior military chiefs and defence officials, against the backdrop of some impressive looking hardware and a military band. The hangar was open to the elements, so we could all […]
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30th April 2013
Washington DC, USA
Last week I went to Columbus to talk to representatives of the 50,000 or so Somali diaspora community living in Ohio. It was hosted at a community learning centre set up to help Somali youths succeed in school. It seems to be working as I was told growing numbers are going to university. I set […]
Read more on Talking Somalia in Mogadishu, London and… Columbus, Ohio | Reply
