WELCOME TO THE FEBRUARY/MARCH 2021 ISSUE OF DIPLOMAT

ALTHOUGH THE UK was plunged into yet another strict lockdown at the start of January, profoundly affecting our way of life and work, there still seems to be an air of underlying optimism. After a tumultuous few years, a new US President and administration should provide an opportunity for global order to reset and settle. Closer to home, the G7 in June, closely followed by COP26 in November, offers a chance not only for multilateralism to prevail on the global stage, but also for the UK, as host country, to demonstrate leadership and best practice. The BBC’s James Landale says these two events provide an opportunity to not only help repair the UK’s reputation, but but also “to help fix two of the world’s greatest problems: COVID-19 and climate change. The prize is great, but the risks are also many,” he notes. “Failure might shape Britain’s diplomatic reputation for decades. Get it right and the fillip is huge.”

So too, Co-Chair of the All-Party Parliamentary Group Trade & Export Promotion, Lord Waverley, says the UK has an historic opportunity to reset trade relations and do trade differently. He says, “As a sizeable economy on the global stage, the UK has an opportunity to help shape the future of the global trading system to ensure it rises to the challenges and opportunities that confront us.”

An ongoing theme throughout our contributions in this issue is that international collaboration is the only way forward. And there lies the crucial role of diplomats at this point in time. Former UK Health Secretary Rt Hon Stephen Dorrell writes that COP26 “provides an unparalleled opportunity for the international community to commit to an agenda which is, at the same time, ambitious and deliverable – and demonstrate once again that globalism can produce results which nationalists can only dream about.”

Late last year, Diplomat magazine and Public Policy Projects launched a new arm to our virtual World Economic Series, called ‘Maximising COP – the Diplomacy of Decarbonisation,’ with keynote speakers the High Commissioners for Canada and the Maldives and the Ambassador of Denmark. Climate diplomacy is top of the agenda in 2021, and we shall continue these discussions in the run up to COP26. Our exciting line up of events will be announced shortly.

In this issue, we report from past sessions of Diplomat magazine’s virtual World Economic Series, with the Ambassadors of the Republic of Korea and the UAE, as well as the Australian High Commissioner. We have upcoming events scheduled with the High Commissioners of Pakistan and South Africa. See page 4 for details and to sign up.

With a slew of new arrivals over the past six months, Diplomat continues to review the credentials of new heads of mission to the Court of St James’s, this month meeting the Ambassadors of Argentina, Côte d’Ivoire, Mauritania and Timor-Leste, along with the High Commissioners for Pakistan and Sri Lanka.

In our lifestyle pages, Diplomat attempts to find solutions to help London’s missions go about their daily business while COVID restrictions are making life rather more difficult. Quarantine requirements and COVID tests have meant the logistics of international travel have become so complex. Diplomat finds that VistaJet can offer some simplicity in a complicated world. To celebrate its 50th anniversary last year, the Hyatt Regency London – The Churchill unveiled its new top suite: The Churchill Residential Suite. As the name suggests, the suite is ideal for visiting Heads of State and VIPs, and the whole floor can be taken exclusively to house a security detail and entourage. We also profile Sentinel Operations who have the COVID-safe facilities to get your embassy or high commission back up and running after the health pandemic.

Please do stay in touch and send me article suggestions, new appointments and mission news that you would like covered. Follow and contact us on Twitter, Instagram and Facebook – our reach is growing on these platforms – we are happy to share your news on social media too.

Please stay safe in the meantime.

VENETIA DE BLOCQ VAN KUFFELER

EDITOR

DIPLOMATMAGAZINE.COM