Nigel Sheinwald

G20 in Pittsburgh

This week, G20 leaders meet in Pittsburgh, Pennsylvania for their third summit since the global financial and economic crisis erupted last fall.

This will be a different sort of summit from the meeting in London in April. The world economy is showing the first signs of recovery.  Although it remains fragile, the crisis atmosphere seems to have abated. But, as my Prime Minister has made very clear,  "now is not the time to lose our focus"; nothing can be taken for granted and policymakers must not shirk from the challenges.

So as part of this it will important for leaders to review implementation of the commitments they made in April, including the establishment of the new, more inclusive Financial Stability Board to provide better oversight of financial regulation and supervision and more than $250bn in new bilateral funding for the IMF.

But it will be more than just a stocktaking exercise. President Obama's recent remarks on the forthcoming summit - that "all of us must remember that our work is far from complete" - is a salutary reminder of the profound economic challenges still facing our economies.

There will be much ground to cover but a few key strands are emerging. Can G20 leaders work together towards a new compact for global growth? Can we promote a sustained recovery, including identifying and supporting future sources of growth? How do we best demonstrate that the G20 will continue to take concrete action to mitigate the impact of the crisis on the poorest countries? And how does this process help us to address the acute issue of climate change?

None of these questions is straightforward. But leaders will need to find the answers. I will be in Pittsburgh on Thursday with the Prime Minister; I'll let you know how they all get on.

Posted at 16:27 21 September 2009 by Nigel Sheinwald  |  Comments[2]

Countdown to Copenhagen

Last weekend the British Embassy launched our new "100 Voices 100 Days" countdown to Copenhagen on the website. In just three months, world leaders will gather in the Danish capital to try and find agreement on a climate change deal that Ed Miliband, our Secretary for Energy and Climate Change, describes as "ambitious, fair and effective".   
 
Without a deal, the world risks catastrophic climate change, with huge implications for water and food resources, security and our environment. It is a top priority for the British Government. This Embassy, along with the UK's other Embassies across the globe, is working hard in support of it.
 
In the run up to Copenhagen, there is a huge amount of international activity going on, especially here in the United States.  September is going to be an important month. In the next couple of weeks we have the Major Economies Forum in DC, which Ed Miliband will attend, and will help shape the outline of the climate deal that will be negotiated in Denmark. This will be immediately followed in New York by the United Nations' Climate Week and the General Assembly, at which our Prime Minister and Foreign Secretary will discuss these issues with the Secretary General and other leaders. All this just before the G20 meeting in Pittsburgh, where the focus will be on the global economic outlook and a sustainable recovery.
 
So it's going to be a busy time. As it should be, since time is the one luxury we do not enjoy. Action is needed now.
 
The United States is central to this whole endeavour.  Not just because it has the world's largest economy (with a fifth of the world's global CO2 emissions), but because American engagement is vital to persuading other countries, especially India and China, to act too.  So I warmly welcome President Obama's pledge to help lead this global effort. But American attitudes to climate change, and the country's willingness to take the measures necessary to help prevent it, cannot be settled in the White House alone. Congress is clearly vital too.  In the coming weeks the Senate will restart the debate on climate and energy legislation.  We'll be watching this closely.
 
But it goes even broader than that. This is a subject for the whole of American society and all age groups. State and local governments, business and unions, think tanks and media, universities, school and individuals will all want to pitch into this debate and help shape a collective resolve.  
 
Our "100 voices" campaign is a small contribution to that, allowing everyone to participate in this debate and share ideas about how we go forward. I encourage you to take a look, offer a comment, and even contribute a video yourself. For all of us who share a deep concern about this grave threat, we need an equally deep commitment to take action.
 

Posted at 08:42 04 September 2009 by Nigel Sheinwald  |  Comments[1]

It's an exciting time to be in Washington

The embassy hosted a fascinating discussion on US history and its politics with top British historian Simon Schama last night. He's in Washington to promote his four-part documentary "The American Future: A History." His documentary looks at some relevant issues through the lens of US history: jobs and the economy, wars overseas and immigration.

Simon Schama, myself and Thomas Friedman after watching selections from Professor Schama's documentary.

I think this event showcases the diversity of what we do at embassies. They are often thought of as creating political connections between governments. It's important to remember though that embassies build cultural relationships as much as political, defence and economic ones.

We're very busy at this embassy with both political and cultural exchanges. Professor Schama's talk is the first of three events leading up to the inauguration of President Obama on Tuesday. Dr Henry Kissinger will come tonight to give a lecture under the auspices of the Atlantic Council on trans-Atlantic issues under the new Administration. On Saturday, I'm hosting the Illinois delegation to the inauguration.

All three events will bring together people with an interest in the unique UK-US relationship. They will celebrate our cultural, academic and political ties at an exciting and rich moment in America's history and its relationship with its allies around the world.

Posted at 13:04 15 January 2009 by Nigel Sheinwald  |  Comments[2]