The Great British Foreign Affairs Podcast

Continuing my notes and reflections from my Autumn round-the-world trip with my kids - this time from East Asia covering South Korea, Japan and Taiwan plus a footnote on our time in Sri Lanka

Continuing to share my journey across the world this Autumn with my kids - this time capturing thoughts ad reflections on Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and the UAE and Oman

From my around-the-world trip with my 3 children I bring notes from different sections of our trip. This first one covers our travels in Europe section from late August to September....

In this episode I continue my cinversation with Aline Burni, this time focusing on her home country of Brazil. We dive into Brazil's unique foreign policy and how the country is a country of contrasts

In this episode we talk about the first foreign policy moments of the new UK Labour government against the backdrop of the NATO summit in Washington and ahead of hosting the 4th European Political Community summit. Plus an update on the Ukraine war, French elections, China-Taiwan and what UK leadership on the world stage looks like. Peter Apps brings us his in-depth insights on these topics as well as intel from his recent visit to Washington for the US launch of his book 'Deterring Armageddon: A Biography of Nato'.

In this episode I talk to Ari Ratner, a former state department official and founder of strategic comms and policy advisory firm Danari Global

In this episode I have two conversations - firstly getting an update from Aline Burni in Brussels on the state of play in Europe following the EU Parliament elections and then onto Mike Buckley in Sheffield looking at UK-EU relations

In this episode I talk to Daniela Luque about Colombia catching up on the political developments in the country, where the peace process is up to and a surprising discovery about how much we can learn from the Colombia-UK relationship 

In this inaugural podcast fireside chat, Matt Godwin and our host, Anna-Joy Rickard share some of their thinking on how the UK finds a confident identity and optimistic way forward in the changing world of today

To kick off Series 3, I speak to writer and journalist Jonn Elledge on his new book 'A History of the World in 47 Borders: The Stories Behind the Lines on Our Maps'. We delve into the stories you should know about but probably don't, the history that never happened, the optimistic stories and of course - how Britain looks at its history.

In this episode I chat to Hannah Methven, a sustainability specialist at Explore, the adventure travel company, about falling in love again with train travel. The episode is packed full of inspiration, tricks and tips for exploring the world by train.

In this episode I discuss Argentina with Emmanuel Artusa-Barrell, an Argentinian living in London. Manu has a background in political risk management and is a former advisor to embassies in Argentina and the UK. Summary Emmanuel Artusa-Barrell discusses Argentina's food, culture, and geography, highlighting its melting pot of communities who immigrated from Europe and its diverse wildlife. He also explains Argentina's place in Latin America and the recent political upset in the country. The conversation delves into the economic challenges Argentina has faced, including the 2001 crash and cyclical crises. The resilience and adaptability of the Argentine people is explored, as well as the country's role in the changing geopolitical landscape. The conversation continues with a discussion on the legacy of the military dictatorship and the importance of defending human and civil liberties. This conversation explores the historical and current relationship between Argentina and the UK, covering the Falklands/ Malvinas War, and the opportunities for collaboration between the two countries. It also discusses the UK's approach to Latin America, and gains Emmanuel’s insights, as an Argentinian living in London, about the role of the UK in the world. Takeaways Argentina is a diverse country with a rich culture, delicious food, and stunning geography. The country has a history of political and economic challenges, including cyclical crises and a recent political upset. The Argentine people have shown resilience and adaptability in the face of economic hardships. Argentina's role in the changing geopolitical landscape and its relationships with other countries is evolving. The legacy of the military dictatorship still influences the country's consciousness, and the defense of human and civil liberties remains important. The Mothers and Grandmothers of Plaza de Mayo played a significant role in Argentina's history, searching for their missing loved ones and advocating for human rights. The Falklands/Malvinas War was a tragic event that still has emotional significance for both Argentina and the UK. While there are differing opinions on the sovereignty of the islands, both sides recognize the need for dialogue and friendship. There are numerous opportunities for collaboration between Argentina and the UK, including trade, investment, and resource-sharing. Both countries have valuable resources and expertise that can benefit each other. The UK should pay attention to Latin America and strengthen its relationships in the region. Latin America offers stability, educated populations, and economic opportunities. The UK has significant strengths, including soft power, economic and military strength, and historical ties. However, it needs to use its power strategically and learn from past mistakes to navigate the changing world effectively.

In this episode I talk to Emma Ruiters, an economist from South Africa, and we hear about the elections this year, how South Africa’s history shapes the country it is today and about the role it is playing on the world stage

In this episode I’m welcoming back author and Reuters foreign affairs columnist, Peter Apps to talk about his new book 'Deterring Armageddon: A biography of NATO'. On the second year anniversary of the Russian invasion of Ukraine and with a potential return of Trump to the White House this year, it is all eyes on NATO. Here we discuss its history, stories and lessons alongside its current debates and concerns, including what they mean for the UK military.

This podcast episode is Part Two of my conversation with David Lawrence. If you haven’t listened to the previous episode on China yet, that’s definitely one to listen to! Here in this episode we discuss the geopolitics of artificial intelligence drawing on his work at Chatham House and wider thought leadership on this issue.

In this episode I talk to David Lawrence about China, drawing on his professional work at Chatham House but also his experience growing up as a child there. This is part 1 of our conversation and in Part 2 - coming up in our next podcast episode - we focus on an equally meaty topic of the geopolitics of AI, so look out for that one too.

It’s an honour to jointly host this episode with The Story of Woman podcast by Anna Stoecklein - which features interviews with those who explore our world through the female gaze. Together we talk about feminist foreign policy with Kristina Lunz, the author of ‘The future of foreign policy is feminist’ and Co-founder and Director of the Centre for Feminist Foreign Policy in Berlin. We dive into what it is, where it came from and what it means for today. *Find The Story of Woman podcast here: https://podcasts.apple.com/gb/podcast/the-story-of-woman/id1610515650

In this first episode of the year I talk to Andrew Bruce about the bumper election year of 2024 with over 40% of the world's population living in countries holding national elections this year. We hear his wisdom from 20 years of experience in international election observation missions and related work and take a whizz-stop tour through: *The elections of most global consequence *The elections that could lead to protest/violence *The elections that won't be genuine *The conflict/crisis elections *The potential upsets *The good news stories *The political risk elections, and *The surprises!

Our last episode of the year brings The Great British Foreign Affairs Podcast’s wrap-up of the year. We say goodbye to the world of 2023 and hello to 2024 with Peter Apps - foreign affairs reporter, writer and commentator. We do a quick stop tour looking back at the year and forwards to the next, and you’ll find it packed with insights, stats and big picture observations, as well as brilliant examples coming directly from his current Asia travels.

In this episode Paymana Assad tells us stories - of the food, geography and communities of Afghanistan, of growing up in the UK as a refugee and of the before and after of the fall of Kabul. This is an absolute must-listen to understand Afghanistan behind the headlines, and sometimes now - hidden from the headlines, and what we should be calling for from the UK.