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This week at the Foreign Office

A look at the work of the Foreign Office and its embassies overseas this week.

This was published under the 2010 to 2015 Conservative and Liberal Democrat coalition government

Foreign Secretary set out the latest situation in Africa and the Middle East in a statement to Parliament on Monday. He also published the report on progress in Afghanistan during February.

Prime Minister David Cameron visited the RAF Libya crew in Italy before heading to Pakistan where he announced an agreement to increase bilateral trade with Pakistan to £2.5 billion per year by 2015.

Foreign Office Minister Jeremy Browne visited Malaysia, Vietnam and Singapore this week. While in Hanoi he delivered a speech on the role of media in society to the Academy of Journalism and Communication.

Minister for Europe David Lidington discussed transatlantic relations in the 21st century while on a visit to Washington. He then travelled to the UN in New York where he recorded his latest video blog.

On a visit to Algeria the Foreign Office Minister for the Middle East and North Africa Alistair Burt discussed the UK-Algeria relationship, and the latest situation in Libya.

In the House of Lords, Foreign Office Minister Lord Howell answered questions on security in Kyrgyzstan and the role of the African Union and the EU in Cote d’Ivoire.

Easter holidays are fast approaching so the Foreign Office provided advice for those planning to spend it abroad.

Almost half of students aged 11-18 are planning on taking a gap year before work or university, with this in mind the Foreign Office launched new gap year advice pages on the website, and also published advice for teachers.

Afghanistan, the Middle East and the United Nations were amongst the topics discussed by Foreign Office bloggers this week.

Published 8 April 2011