4th June 2013
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 […]
3rd June 2013
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 […]
5th May 2013
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 […]
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 […]
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25th April 2013 Bucharest, Romania
This afternoon I will be conducting a focus group with a number of Chevening alumni from a variety of professional backgrounds (press, law, trade, political) to discuss how they perceive UK as a partner in the EU. I look forward to a two-hour long discussion, and hope at the end of it we come up […]
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19th April 2013 New Delhi, India
“For tomorrow belongs to the people who prepare for it today”. Undoubtedly, no one knows the future. Yet the above quote from Malcom X neatly encapsulates why strategic thinkers across the globe need to anticipate the future. Policy makers, businessman, militaries. All try to contemplate future scenarios in order to stay ahead of their global […]
16th April 2013 Warsaw, Poland
Last week I had the opportunity to be in the UK with HMA Robin Barnett. A busy visit and one which took me to London, then North through Shrewsbury to Liverpool. Whilst in London we had the opportunity to attend the Council of British Chambers of Commerce Annual Conference and Awards Gala which to celebrate […]
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11th April 2013 Bangalore, India
Research between India and the UK is growing and joint research funding between both countries now exceeds £100 million. An important strand in this research co-operation is health and biopharma. But if this research is to become real-world treatments and medical products, regulations in both countries will come into play. Therefore, regulations which support collaboration, […]
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