Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office Blogs

A unique insight into UK foreign and development policy

15th February 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

Ukraine: is discounted gas good?

Gas matters. The embassy follows closely talks between Kyiv and Moscow on gas supplies; and between the Ukrainian authorities and the IMF about prices for domestic gas. We care because these talks can affect security of gas supplies to Europe; the Ukrainian economy; Ukraine’s domestic politics; and international relationships. According to the International Energy Agency, […]

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14th February 2012 Toronto, Canada

UK announces Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult centre

The Technology Strategy Board (the UK’s national innovation agency) announced last week that a UK-wide consortium would set up the new Offshore Renewable Energy Catapult centre, with sites in Glasgow and Northumberland. You can read the press release here. Wind, wave and tidal power will be crucial components of the UK’s future energy mix if […]

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14th February 2012 Washington DC, USA

by Peter Matheson

Economic Counsellor

Economic Lessons From Valentine’s Day

Ah Valentine’s Day. A day of aspiration, fluttering hearts, yearning and, inevitably, crushing disappointment for some. The lovesick teen waiting for the mailman on 14 February: It’s a bit like policymakers waiting for the latest economic data release on GDP or employment. Hoping for the best; preparing for the worst; often ending up somewhere in […]

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14th February 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

London 2012: Gymnasts, Judo and Climate Change

Last week the embassy hosted a reception to celebrate the fact that the 2012 Olympic and Paralympics Games this summer in London will be the greenest and most sustainable ever. I was pleased to welcome not only the President of the Ukrainian Paralympics Committee Valeriy Sushkevych, the General Secretary of the Ukrainian Olympic Committee Volodymyr […]

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13th February 2012 Washington DC, USA

Hetty Crist

by Hetty Crist

Deputy Press Secretary

A GREAT Night for British Music

If the first two months are any indication, 2012 is shaping up to be a truly GREAT year for the UK. At the Golden Globes back in January, British shows and performers brought home three awards, including Best Miniseries for the smash hit Downton Abbey. Last night’s GRAMMYs kept the momentum rolling. The one and […]

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13th February 2012 Washington DC, USA

Rosalind Campion portrait

by Rosalind Campion

Counsellor for Global Issues

Two Wheels Good

It’s a steep hill from our apartment in Georgetown to the Embassy in DC.  In the mornings, I’ve tried to reconcile myself to this by reminding myself how healthy it is to start the day with a walk up a hill.  I’ve had some success.  But the journey home was less enjoyable for the first few […]

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13th February 2012

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by Peter Millett

Ambassador to Libya, Tripoli

The Responsibility of the Press

The backbone of any democracy is an independent, professional and responsible media. Their role is to inform, criticise and stimulate debate. So how can the media be encouraged to step up to this vital role? One initiative launched a few years ago by the UK’s Thomson Foundation – and funded by the British Embassy – is […]

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13th February 2012 Bucharest, Romania

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by Raluca Bragarea

Head of Communications, Bucharest

The StartEvo Project or “You make your own luck”

Guest blog: I am Iulian Craciun and I am a disabled person. So what? I learned that in order to be successful in life you need to build your own luck. Not to wait from others. I’ve learned that you are the only person that can really make a difference in shaping your destiny. “You […]

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13th February 2012 Warsaw, Poland

Martin Oxley, Head, UKTI Poland

by Martin Oxley

Director of UKTI Warsaw

A Big Wow! All on board for the British Olympics in Bialystok – Fall in Love with London 2012!

At some ridiculously low temperature I jumped in the car on Saturday and drove to Białystok to participate in The Polish Olympic Sporting Awards. A great evening with some brilliant people from the world of sport in Poland – an excellent starting point for the visit of the British Olympic Travelling Exhibition to Poland, a […]

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