On average a man, women or child dies every minute as a result of armed violence. Two thirds die in countries that are not officially in conflict. Violence fuelled by illegal arms diverts resources away from schools, healthcare and critical infrastructure. It undermines sustainable development, eats away at stability and...

When we think of armed conflicts, we think of battlefields, of soldiers in arms, of trenches and tanks. But wars tragically are also about civilians, particularly women and children, caught on the margins of the battlefield yet at the centre of warfare.

The grave and regrettable...

Under this Coalition government, the Foreign Office has a renewed sense of mission. It is a mission to promote Britain's national interest, while tirelessly working for a world which is more secure, more stable, more free and more prosperous.

In no area is this more relevant than the fight against...

In September 1992 Foreign Secretary Douglas Hurd visited Mogadishu. He could not have known that it would be 20 years before any of his successors set foot in the country again. Shortly after his visit Britain's Embassy was shut and Somalia plunged deeper into the vortex of suffering and violence...

For much of the last 50 years only a true optimist would have believed there were prospects for real change in Burma. For all that time the people of Burma have suffered repression.

Burma's former military regime appeared impervious to international criticism of its human rights record, unwilling to engage...

This week the London Conference on Cyberspace brought together governments, industry and civil society for the first time to address the future of cyberspace.

More than 700 participants from 60 countries took part. We heard from citizens across the world, took questions direct from the public through the internet...

Already, 2011 has proved an extraordinary year in international affairs. Governments across the world have needed to act quickly and responsibly to encourage positive change and foster stability in the face of global security challenges. They have had to work ever harder to secure a sustainable economic recovery from the...

Yesterday in Juba I witnessed the birth of a nation. Watched by thousands, the flag of Sudan was lowered and the flag of the new Republic of South Sudan was raised.

The joy of the people was clear to see. After a long path from a twenty-two year civil war,...