16th December 2016 Tripoli, Libya
Today is the first anniversary of the signing of the Libya Political Agreement (LPA) in Skhirat, Morocco. I well recall the euphoria, expectation and excitement of the moment. There was a sense that the divisions and polarisation that had plagued Libya since the revolution were over. Now was the time to rebuild, restore and recover […]
1st December 2016 Tripoli, Libya
Last weekend I had the enormous honour of presenting my credentials to Prime Minister Fayez Serraj in Tripoli. Four other European Ambassadors presented their credentials at the same time. What does this mean? And why is it important? Ambassadors are formally appointed by their Head of State and are given letters of appointment. These letters […]
28th October 2016 Tripoli, Libya
English is the most widely spoken language in the world. Chinese is number one for the number of native speakers, but with 400 million mother-tongue speakers and at least as many using it as a second language, English has become the world’s main communication tool. How did a language brought to Britain by settlers from […]
7th October 2016 Tripoli, Libya
The Islamic world celebrated the arrival of a New Year this week. It is now 1438. The New Year is not as big as the religious Eid holidays. Nor does it have the social significance of New Year events in other countries where cities compete with each other over the lavishness of their fireworks. In […]
26th August 2016 Tripoli, Libya
My last visit to Tripoli included a meeting with young activists. They were very clear about what they wanted: a voice in their future. They were no different from young people anywhere in the world. They wanted a better world: security, a job and a way to contribute to decisions that affect them. If you […]
3rd August 2016 Tripoli, Libya
What does Brexit mean for Libya? Many Libyans have asked me this question during my visits to Tripoli. Does the fact that the British people voted to leave the European Union mean that the United Kingdom will be less interested in Libya? Absolutely not. The UK will be as committed to Libya as before: backing […]
11th July 2016 Tripoli, Libya
Since the Presidency Council arrived in Tripoli, I have had the pleasure of visiting the city five times. The most recent visit was during Ramadan. The first impression was the welcome I received and the friendliness of the people. From my arrival at Matiga to the staff in the offices, there was a warm welcome […]
6th June 2016 Tripoli, Libya
Today marks the first day of Ramadan. It is the source of many misunderstandings for non-Muslims. Some people might regard it as inappropriate for a non-Muslim to comment on this religious practice. But, as seen by an outsider, it a central to life in the Arab world. Moreover, the true purpose on Ramadan is very […]
6th May 2016 Tripoli, Libya
Leicester. Where’s that? And how do you pronounce it? Is it “Lye-Chest-er” or “Lester”. This Midlands town is now well-known all round the world after their team, Leicester City became the English football champions. It is a remarkable story of a team that was fighting for survival last year. The team – known locally as […]
22nd April 2016 Tripoli, Libya
It’s not possible to understand a country without going to it. Even if you meet lots of its citizens and read lots of books, you have to go there to see it, meet the people and get under its skin. So far I have been unable to visit Libya. I have met many Libyans in […]