Bilateral Diplomacy in the 21st Century
24/7/2010

HM Ambassador Alex Ellis took the opportunity on a recent visit to London, to attend the Annual FCO Conference and to give a talk ‘Bilateral Diplomacy in the 21st Century’ to the Anglo-Portuguese Society at Canning House.

In this he gave an illuminating exposé of how the role of a European Embassy has changed over the last 30 years and how the pace of change is quickening in response to the revolution in communications and information technology as well as the changing political scene (eg.Brussels).

He highlighted the three main platforms of change:

From political to public services (consular, visas) and executive cooperation (customs, UK Border Authority)

From national to regional (joint activities with the British Embassy in Madrid)

From expatriate to local staff.

In summing up he said the mission was to:

be the eyes, ears, mouth and face of the UK in Portugal

deliver public services of high quality

be the knowledge

and to do that excellently.

The talk was attended by some 60 members and guests including HE The Portuguese Ambassador to the UK, Sr Antonio Santana Carlos, two former British Ambassadors to Portugal, Mr Hugh Arbuthnott and Dame Glynne Evans, as well as Dame Denise Holt, a former British Ambassador to Spain.

Edition: 1071

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