DIPLO Blog

Skip to content Leigh Turner Ambassador to Austria and UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Vienna Part of UK in Austria 10th January 2020 Vienna, Austria A tobacco bust in SlovakiaAt a nondescript warehouse in Eastern Slovakia, fine tobacco dust fills the air, and the lungs of the workers. The remote building has been sealed carefully to keep any smells and sounds hidden from the outside world, which might give away its true nature. When Slovak officers arrive, they act quickly, arresting 47 people involved in the production of illegal cigarettes. Many of these dangerous products would have crossed the Channel into the UK black market. The raid was the result of close cooperation between the HMRC team based at the British Embassy Vienna and the Slovak authorities. Our Fiscal Crime Liaison Officers are part of a global network responsible for stopping crimes that hurt the UK’s tax revenues. There are 47 HMRC officers posted in 37..

Skip to content Laura Clarke British High Commissioner to New Zealand and Samoa, Governor of the Pitcairn, Henderson, Ducie and Oeno Islands. Part of UK in New Zealand 7th January 2020 Wellington, New Zealand Here’s why the UK wants to strengthen its relationship with New Zealand Māori British High Commissioner to New Zealand, Laura Clarke, with Charlotte Gibson of the Ngati Oneone iwi (tribe), following the delivery of the expression of regret in Gisborne.Writing in The Guardian, Laura explains how the UK and Māori of Aotearoa New Zealand are looking to the past to build stronger relationships for the future. The connections between the UK and New Zealand are such that we feel instantly at home in each other’s countries, sipping a flat whiteor an English Breakfast tea. We have a similar sense of humour, a similar sense of adventure, similar tastes. There is so much that feels familiar. But perhaps the greatest joy of my first two years as British high commissioner to New Zealand has ..

Skip to content Irfan Siddiq British Ambassador to Sudan Part of UK in Sudan 30th December 2019 Khartoum, Sudan Building the new Sudan Celebrating the building of the new Sudan, British Ambassador's residenceWith the 17 August agreement, Sudan entered a new era. The signing of a constitutional charter to govern the transition, the formation of a Sovereign Council and the appointment of Prime Minister Hamdok and his civilian cabinet puts new, primarily civilian leaders in charge of running the country. The change has been immediate. Prime Minister Hamdok’s government’s vision for Sudan, one that fulfils the revolutionary slogan of “freedom, peace and justice” is clear. It has worked to promote human rights and freedoms – through the repealing of the Public Order Law, agreement to open a UN Office for Human Rights and commitment to protect media freedom. It has prioritised peace talks, which are making progress in Juba. And it has started work on justice, through the dissolution of..

23 Dec 2019 — DFAT Addressing corruption can even the playing field in an era of widening inequalities By Valerie Cliff, Deputy Assistant Administrator and Deputy Regional Director of the Regional Bureau for Asia and the Pacific and Director of the Bangkok Regional Hub, United Nations Development Programme (UNDP) Asia’s economic ascent over the past two decades has contributed to a dramatic transformation: steep decreases in poverty rates, soaring domestic consumption and better living standards for people at all levels of income. The Asia-Pacific region is slated to account for half of global output and 40 per cent of global consumption by 2040. This prosperity has coincided with ever-increasing concentrations of wealth and rising inequalities. How will the region lift the next 400 million people out of extreme poverty whilst dealing with the challenges posed by climate change, the impacts of the Fourth Industrial Revolution, jobless growth and global economic volati..

Skip to content Leigh Turner Ambassador to Austria and UK Permanent Representative to the United Nations and other International Organisations in Vienna Part of UK in Austria 19th December 2019 Vienna, Austria A French pacifist, a British Embassy and a “British Schindler”It is the summer of 1914 and a political assassination has shocked Europe. Not the one you are thinking of – but one which will lead to a change of name for the street in Vienna on which the British Embassy sits – the Jaurèsgasse. French politician Jean Jaurès, sometimes described as “one of the first social democrats”, was assassinated in Paris at the outbreak of World War I. He is perhaps best remembered for his anti-militarism and attempts to avert the outbreak of the First World War. The Wikipedia article at the link includes poignant details including the fact that Jaurès was shot in the back by a French nationalist as he ate his dinner in the Café du Croissant on 31 July 1914. Austria-Hungary had declared war on..

18 Dec 2019 — DFAT Making the most out of migration By Jane Duke, Australia’s Ambassador to ASEAN 18 December is International Migrants Day, marking the anniversary of the adoption of the UN convention on the Rights of Migrant Workers and their Families. It’s a good time to take stock of how much migrant workers in our region contribute to societies, including Australia, through their work, skills and determination. They also contribute to economic growth and a stable region for all of us by sending money home. Every time I go to the airport in Jakarta, where I live, I see groups of Indonesian women and men preparing to leave abroad for work. They go to other ASEAN countries, especially Malaysia and Singapore, and further away to Hong Kong, Arab States and beyond. While their expectations, plans and backgrounds vary, one thing is common: they all hope to earn, save and send money home to build better futures for themselves and their families. Stories of migration and..

Skip to content Emilia Pecheva SIN Officer for Bulgaria and Romania Guest blogger for Rosie Duthie 17th December 2019 Cyber Security Challenge – SIN Bulgaria On 2-4 October 2019 I attended the 1st International scientific conference on Digital transformation, cyber security and resilience “DIGILIENCE” in Bulgaria. The event brought together international research and policy makers in cyber security to discuss the state of the art and future demands in the provision of security and resilience of processes, services and systems that are heavily reliant on information technologies. Key cyber security policy makers, EU and NATO representatives, leading practitioners from Bulgarian government, universities and research institutes were present which was a fantastic demonstration of the growing recognition and importance of cyber security. Everyone should understand that the cyberspace is borderless and no country is able to cope with the challenges alone. We need international mitigations ..

Skip to content Zaneta Trajkoska Director of the Institute of Communication Studies Guest blogger for UK in North Macedonia Part of UK in North Macedonia 13th December 2019 Skopje, North Macedonia For better environment: Don’t Ignore! React! “All of us should be persistent in our commitment to a cleaner and healthier environment, through self-criticism and timely and rapid response, towards addressing the effects of climate change. As President, I shall commit myself for policies for environmental protection and protection of the national biodiversity, and will support all civic initiatives that promote the public awareness on environment. It is up to us whether we shall live in a clean and healthy environment. That is why I call upon all of you all to join this joint mission and to leave a cleaner and safer country to the future generations in which they will live in.” This was emphasized by the President of North Macedonia in Skopje, at the November Climate Action Conference: to Pr..

Skip to content Karla Hagan Head of Science and Innovation Network, Washington, DC Guest blogger for Science and Innovation Network USA Part of Global Science and Innovation Network 12th December 2019 Science Innovation USA SIN Spins up Flurry of UK-US Collaboration in Offshore Wind Energy Innovation Ahead of COP26The UK’s global leadership in clean growth is clear. It is the first major economy to legislate for net-zero emissions by 2050, and in order to help developing countries take action the UK has committed to doubling International Climate Finance contributions by 2025. Within the clean energy sector, offshore wind energy deployment in the UK represents a whopping 34% of the world’s total installed capacity. As the UK prepares to host COP26 in partnership with Italy in November 2020, the Science and Innovation Network’s work in the US highlights UK expertise internationally, promotes global collective action, and furthers the deployment of clean energy in the United States. Cop..

Liverpool-Salzburg crunch match – who’d have thought? Plus: travel advice Austria has been awarded a fantastic early Christmas present on 10 December. At 1755 local time on Tuesday night Liverpool will visit to play Red Bull Salzburg in the final game of the Champions’ League group stage. Both teams need a result: if Liverpool lose they are likely to go out of the competition. If Salzburg win, they go through. As a Manchester United fan I am in theory supposed to hate Liverpool, but somehow the wires have got crossed and I usually support Liverpool against any other team. Last season I several times enjoyed watching them in the Champions’ League at the Red Lion, a Liverpool supporters’ pub in the third district of Vienna. I’m also a big fan of Austrian football, which has many fi..