What are we trying to achieve?

The UK Foreign and Commonwealth Office (FCO) has a new strategic framework to deliver its foreign policy goals.

As part of the new strategic framework, the FCO also has a new mission statement – “Better World, Better Britain” – reflecting the fact that we can no longer have environmental, physical or economic security in the UK without promoting it overseas.

The new strategic framework has three key elements:

1) A flexible global network serving the whole of British Government

The UK has more than 260 embassies, high commissions and consulates in over 140 countries. They serve the whole of the British Government:

- providing a platform for the delivery of essential services and the British Government's international policies

- taking responsibility for the security and good governance of the UK's Overseas Territories

2) Essential services that:

Support the British economy

- improve the performance of UK companies operating internationally through support from UK Trade & Investment

- attract high value, good quality foreign direct investment which contributes to knowledge-intensive economic activity in the UK

- improve the reputation of the UK as the international business partner of choice in key sectors in leading overseas markets

Support British nationals abroad

- help British nationals in difficulty abroad, whether the victims of crime, sickness or other unforeseen circumstances

- respond to a major crisis affecting British nationals abroad

- issue passports and provide other documentary services to British nationals through our overseas embassies, high commissions and consulates

Support managed migration for Britain

- ensure, through a robust migration and visa policy, that UK borders are open to the people who bring talent, business and creativity, but closed to those who might cause harm or come to the UK illegally

- build sustainable arrangements with countries to return foreign prisoners, failed asylum seekers and other immigration offenders

- promote with the EU and other partners effective international co-operation that supports the UK's border and migration objectives

3) Four new policy goals

Counter terrorism, weapons proliferation and their causes

- reduce the risks to the UK and its interests overseas from international terrorism

- counter the proliferation of weapons of mass destruction and their means of delivery

- ensure effective controls on all weapons, and pursue disarmament, to reduce the risk of conflict

Prevent and resolve conflict

- prevent conflict through more effective national and international action

- promote human rights, democracy, rule of law and good governance

- resolve conflict through an integrated civil-military approach to peace building, stabilisation and sustained post-conflict peace building

Promote a low carbon, high growth, global economy

- create the conditions for a rapid shift in investment towards low carbon and for an ambitious post-2012 climate agreement

- enhance UK energy security through more diverse supplies and more efficient global consumption

- increase international commitment to an open economy and achieving the Millennium Development Goals

Develop effective international institutions, above all the United Nations and European Union

- promote an international system able to meet the opportunities and challenges of globalisation

- work for an effective, efficient, responsive and representative international system based on core values

- promote a European Union that delivers for its citizens in response to global challenges