David Miliband

Pakistani Youth: Democracy or Dictatorship

The British Council sponsored debate on Pakistani radio suggests that the old (European) attractions of dictators making the trains run on time dies hard.

Posted at 18:57 09 July 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[6]

Military withdrawal not British withdrawal

Over the next few months British forces will complete their mission in Basra. But British engagement should go up: in business, education and culture this city wants British partnership. We will keep our Consulate here. The Invest Iraq conference will promote business here. Basra has the chance of a better future.

Posted at 22:10 27 February 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[0]

CULTURE BINDS - AND DIVIDES - IN IRAN

It is excellent that the Iranian authorities have come to an agreement with Neil MacGregor, Director of the British Museum, for the loan of key artefacts for the BM's exhibition Shah Abbas: The Remaking of Iran.  I remember discussing the proposed exhibition when it was a twinkle in Neil's eye at a dinner for leading UK museums with James Purnell, then Culture Secretary, in 2007. 

All the more pity that in the same week the British Council should have announced that it has been forced by the regime's harassment of local staff to suspend its operations in Iran . The BC operates in 110 countries representing Britain not the British government.  I deeply regret this move and raised it with Iranian Speaker Larijani when I met him in Munich on Saturday.

Posted at 16:19 09 February 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[12]

United for UNICEF

It is rare for Arsenal supporters to admit it, but Sir Alex Ferguson put on a completely star performance at Cedar Mount High school yesterday. He and I were there celebrating and publicising the British Council's work to link British schools to the rest of the world  - in this case to China and Tanzania. 

Sir Alex spoke about the importance of broadening horizons - and the ability of sport to unite people across the globe.  The United for UNICEF partnership channels the commitment and pull of star players for socially responsible ends.

Posted at 18:26 23 January 2009 by David Miliband  |  Comments[0]

UK-Caribbean Forum

60 years after the arrival in the UK of the ship Windrush at Tilbury Docks, 800,000 Brits trace their heritage back to the Caribbean, and the ties of culture, business, tourism and sport (as well as the shared dangers of drugs and security) mean that we have a lot to work on with Caribbean governments. That is the purpose of the UK-Caribbean forum that has recently met in London, with reps of 10 Caribbean governments and ministers from across UK government.

 The truth is that the UK-Caribbean relationship is in transition.  All the participant countries in the Forum are now independent, and the British link needs to be remade – not on the basis of history or the number of diplomats we have attached but on the basis of a shared agenda for the future.  I think this falls into a number of categories: educational (we agreed to increase and guarantee the number of scholarships), multilateral (for example work in the EU on trade), and global,  for example on climate change.  It needs civil society and business as well as government to work together.  It’s a tough sell.  The Caribbean countries want to know that we recognise the special nature of our relationship with them.  We do.  But we need to bring it alive for modern times.

Posted at 16:48 23 July 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[0]

Not a Euro Army

Sometimes eurosceptics are thought to have good tunes because they are the only ones humming.  On reform of the Common Agricultural Policy and the European Union's financial management there is a pro-European case for reform.  But the truth is that these problems are not the fundamental reason for no votes in referenda on Europe - there are bigger questions about the purpose and direction of the EU.  This is what I tried to address in my speech last night.

Security and defence policy is a hard case and a good case for thinking about the appropriate European role.  NATO is the foundation of security but does not act everywhere and needs civilian and policing complements.  But defence policy is a core national authority so this is a matter for intergovernmental work not the "community method".  On this French and British thinking is similar.  What we need are capabilities to act where NATO doesn't (e.g. Bosnia today) or where it needs partners (e.g. Kosovo).

It's not frightening - it's sensible.

Posted at 20:46 04 July 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[6]

Afghanistan: still worth it

The losses suffered by the British army in the last two weeks in Afghanistan have prompted a lot of debate about why we are there, how it is going, what is the end game.  Anyone reading about the lives of the young people recently killed by the Taliban will be mourning the loss of such brave people, and will believe it right that we have open and honest debate about the situation in Afghanistan.  I certainly do.  I set out my views in the Sunday Telegraph yesterday  as did General Sir Mike Jackson  .

Posted at 15:12 23 June 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[6]

For Queen and Country

This has been a painful week for Sky’s extensive and admirable coverage of the conflict in Afghanistan.  The pictures of the fighting and the coffins coming home have shown something of the reality of the conditions faced by troops (and diplomats).  I hope the TV coverage and the web based information and back up debate about the British and coalition role in Afghanistan.  I have visited the country twice and I was interested in Christina Lamb’s comments today about the coalition being there because the Aghans want and need them there.  This is not a re-run of the Soviet occupation.  I tried to use my interview this morning to get across some key points.  We are there with a clear mission: to help the people of Afghanistan build the stable institutions that can help them prevent their country once again becoming a base for al qaeda.  So this is in our national interest.  We know there is not a military solution; there needs to be politics and development.  But the Afghans tell us they need military support if they are to survive; and the pictures show it.  We are making a difference but it is a long haul. 

Posted at 12:14 18 June 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[2]

Hope in Iraq

This is the theme of UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon's speech to the first international compact review conference on Iraq. All Iraq's economic and political partners are here. The progress on security - from 1500 attacks a week to less than 300 - is striking, as is economic growth (including oil production). But the problems are still immense and that makes the next year of the compact key.

I used my meeting with Foreign Minister Zebari to reflect on the need for continued cooperation on the issue of the five British hostages taken in Baghdad. Today marks the first anniversary of their seizure. They and their families have suffered terribly as their testimony today shows. We have not forgotten them.

Posted at 17:44 29 May 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[3]

Talking Transatlantic

Congratulations to the British Council for their TN2020 initiative. I met some of the first 50 fellows from around Europe and the US at the New America Foundation today. Their job is simple: to re-energise the transatlantic relationship. The polling on the website (eg 57% of Americans have a positive or very positive view of the EU) shows that the well of common values is deep. The network intends between now and 2020 to become 1000 strong. After the second world war Anglo-German cultural and other links filled a void. The transatlantic relationship needs nurturing too. Digging deep into the US, and Canada, I hope it has similar success.

Posted at 10:53 22 May 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[0]

Thank you Germany

You read a lot about the German economy being on its knees. In fact it has been over the last two years the world's top export nation and German companies provide 400,000 jobs in the UK, second only to the US. Meanwhile I was told yesterday by our Ambassador there that our exports to Germany are booming as British companies take advantage of the strengthened Euro to sell into the Euro zone.

Posted at 13:34 08 May 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[0]

British Council (in Spain)

I was surprised to be told that the biggest British Council operation was in Spain. Why? I asked. The answer is interesting: not financial profligacy but a huge (and self-financing) demand for its English language service. 40,000 kids are in bilingual secondary education, often in partnership with the BC. This history is interesting: the BC opened in 1940 under Franco and provided an outlet to the world. The investment then and throughout the Franco era in cultural diplomacy is paying off.

Posted at 13:53 06 May 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[4]

Climate Cool

I promised to provide a link to the British Council China website where the debate about the role of young people in tackling climate change is being developed.  My Q&A in Beijing was part of this.  Here is the link http://www.britishcouncil.org.cn/climatecool/en/

Posted at 16:58 03 March 2008 by David Miliband  |  Comments[2]