Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs

A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy

28th November 2012

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by Leigh Turner

Ambassador to Austria and UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Vienna

17 views on stopping violence against women

What do actors, newscasters, diplomats, writers, business leaders, journalists and politicians have in common? All have contributed statements to the UK in Turkey website to mark the International Day for the Elimination of Violence Against Women. This is powerful and important stuff. The UK supports the goal of tackling violence against women; and on 29 May, […]

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28th November 2012 Dushanbe, Tajikistan

Some words of welcome from Her Majesty’s Ambassador, Robin Ord-Smith

Welcome to the first blog by the British Embassy in Tajikistan.  We’ve started this blog to provide a little more information about  what the UK is doing in Tajikistan, give some clarity on the myths of diplomatic work (without being too boring!) and to give an insight into the kind of challenges that Embassies face […]

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27th November 2012

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by Paul Madden

British Ambassador to Japan

On Her Majesty’s (not particularly secret) Service

James Bond is an iconic British global brand. So we have been keen to associate ourselves with it as part of our Public Diplomacy activities. Over the last week, we have hosted very successful Skyfall screenings and networking events in five Australian cities (Canberra, Sydney, Melbourne, Brisbane and Perth), together with commercial partners including Virgin, […]

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27th November 2012 Lima, Peru

5 Reasons to apply for a Chevening Scholarship (and study in the UK)

by Mariana Fulgueiras, Peruvian Chevening Scholar 2011-2012. Thanks to this generous programme I had the opportunity to study a Masters in Urban Development Planning at University College London during 2011/2012. I will now share the top five highlights – of a much longer list – that made my academic and personal trip an amazing experience. […]

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27th November 2012 Nairobi, Kenya

by Matt Baugh

Ambassador to Somalia

Somalia: Breaking The Silence On Sexual Violence

Earlier this year, the British Foreign Secretary William Hague MP, announced a new initiative to prevent sexual violence against women. It aims to strengthen international efforts and coordination to prevent and respond to sexual violence, to erode the existing culture of impunity, to increase the number of perpetrators brought to justice and to support states […]

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27th November 2012 Budapest, Hungary

by Jonathan Knott

Former British ambassador to Hungary, Budapest

Emerging Europe

I was back in the UK for a few days recently. I’m coordinating the work the UK’s Embassies in Central Europe do in promoting trade opportunities for British business in the region. Within Central Europe the export markets are modest by world standards.  But together they make up a market of some 100 million people. […]

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27th November 2012

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by Martin Harris

Minister and Deputy Head of Mission to Russia

Nicoleta Ghita – British Ambassador for a Day

On Tuesday last week I gave up my seat as Her Majesty’s Ambassador to Romania to Nicoleta Ghita, a very confident and capable young lady from Sector 5 in Bucharest. This was part of Child Takeover Day – an initiative that started in the UK and has been brought to Romania for the first time […]

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26th November 2012 Atlanta, USA

Consul General - Atlanta, Annabelle Malins

by Annabelle Malins

Her Majesty’s Consul General, Atlanta

America’s Got Talent

This is the time of year when the winners of two of the most prestigious scholarship awards in the US are announced: the Rhodes scholars and the Marshall scholars. The young Americans named on those lists will next year launch into an experience which will shape their life paths: one to three years of fully […]

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26th November 2012 Paris, France

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by Peter Ricketts

Ambassador to France from February 2012 to January 2016.

The UK and the EU budget

A European Flag and the Union Jack hang in front of the Justus Lipsius, the European Union's headquarters building in Brussels. GERARD CERLES/AFP/Getty Images

I want to talk to you about two things this week. First of all, the European Union budget. You may have seen in the press last week, in the run up to the European Council at the end of the week, a lot of stories suggesting that Britain was isolated. I saw one headline in […]

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26th November 2012 Athens, Greece

by Ed Roman

Second Secretary Economics

Searching for growth in Greece

“Where can Greece find growth?” is perhaps the most frequently asked question here (and beyond) just now. One answer might be: on the internet. As part of Britain’s drive to establish a more comprehensive European Single Market, British Embassy Athens has been working closely with Greece’s burgeoning digital sector, the Government and the EU Commission […]

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