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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16th June 2017
Beirut, Lebanon
After each terrorist attack, we repeat to ourselves the reassuring mantra that the terrorists won’t win, and they won’t. But on one level, the mantra can sound empty. Terrorists will, sadly, continue to kill and spread fear across many regions of the world. The recent attacks and harrowing experiences of Westminster, Manchester and London Bridge […]
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2nd June 2017
Beirut, Lebanon
It was on a recent Saturday morning. We had had an interesting – and by my standards, rather technical – discussion on the Lebanese economy over a delicious breakfast of labneh, with zaatar, and poached eggs. Then my green tea was replaced by a piping hot espresso. So when the cigar box came round, I […]
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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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21st November 2016
Beirut, Lebanon
Mabrouk, Lebanon! There is a positive new mood in the country. Posters have gone up, and flags been hoisted. Just last week I was treated to a truly stately guard of honour and credentials ceremony at Baabda Palace, and was honoured to finally present my credentials to President Aoun. It has been a long time […]
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27th October 2016
Istanbul, Turkey
In August, the former British Ambassador to Lebanon Tom Fletcher wrote an open letter to the children of Syria apologising for the international community’s failure to fully fund education for Syrian refugees. The letter was also a call to action to ensure donors who made pledges at the Syria London Conference in February honoured their […]
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27th October 2016
Istanbul, Turkey
In August, the former British Ambassador to Lebanon Tom Fletcher wrote an open letter to the children of Syria apologising for the international community’s failure to fully fund education for Syrian refugees. The letter was also a call to action to ensure donors who made pledges at the Syria London Conference in February honoured their […]
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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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16th March 2016
Beirut, Lebanon
It has been five years since the Syria conflict began. Five years of barrel bombs, mass executions and disappearances. Five years of people being forced from their homes because they fear for their lives. And for many of those who fled to Lebanon, what they expected to be a temporary move has become a painful […]
Read more on Five years of War in Syria: how international support for Lebanon is changing | Reply
