The Great British Foreign Affairs Podcast
This podcast features insightful conversations with fascinating people to shape Britain's global interactions. It offers thought-leaders, policy makers, and the curious public fresh perspectives on the world. The show presents an optimistic, pragmatic, and visionary picture of modern Britain's global role. Bonus episodes on travel and adventure are also available.
Episodes
S4 E11 A World in Turmoil with Facing Coming Storms podcast
What’s the world look like through a global defence lens today? On this special episode, we team up with the Facing Coming Storms podcast, brought to you by the British Army’s Centre for Historical Analysis and Conflict Research, in partnership with the Project for the Study of the 21st Century. Peter Apps, host of Facing Coming Storms, takes the hot seat, quizzed by Anna-Joy on massive global shi
S4 E10 World-Shaping Leadership: DAY FOUR Your Week of Possibility
Day Four training to accompany the free 5-day challenge running from 31st March to 4th April to kickstart our Quarter 2 of 2025. Last chance to sign up at www.worldshapingleadership.com as Day Five's training is exclusively for those signed up to the challenge so won't be here on the podcast.
S4 E9 World-Shaping Leadership: DAY THREE Your Week of Possibility
Day Three training to accompany the free 5-day challenge running from 31st March to 4th April to kickstart our Quarter 2 of 2025. Sign up now (it’s ok if it’s mid-week) to download the strategic weekly planner that the challenge revolves around at www.worldshapingleadership.com
S4 E8 World-Shaping Leadership: DAY TWO Your Week of Possibility
Day One training to accompany the free 5-day challenge running from 31st March to 4th April to kickstart our Quarter 2 of 2025. Sign up now (it’s ok if it’s mid-week) to download the strategic weekly planner that the challenge revolves around at www.worldshapingleadership.comSummary - You being you!Anna-Joy Rickard guides participants through the importance of aligning with one's true self to enha
S4 E7 World-shaping Leadership: DAY ONE Your Week of Possibility
Day One training to accompany the free 5-day challenge running from 31st March to 4th April to kickstart our Quarter 2 of 2025. Sign up now (it’s ok if it’s mid-week) to download the strategic weekly planner that the challenge revolves around at www.worldshapingleadership.comSHOW NOTESIn this session, Anna-Joy Rickard introduces a five-day challenge aimed at transforming ordinary weeks into extrao
S4 E6 World-shaping Leadership: 5-day free challenge
Exciting announcement for my regular podcast listeners!Alongside foreign affairs and travel episodes, this podcast is going to start to house World-shaping Leadership episodes and I’ve got something exciting happening next week for you.As many of you know, I coach and run leadership training alongside and within my foreign affairs work, and I want to bring some of that inspiration, those strategie
S4 E5 The one on DRC with Guy Kioni
In this episode I talk to Dr. Guy Kioni, a British-Congolese geostrategic advisor on international diplomacy, critical minerals, and digital transformation. He is the CEO of London-based advisory and management consultancy firm Missang Ltd.
S4 E4 The one on the World Order, Communications & Hope with Matt Patterson
This episode I talk about 2025 with Matt Patterson, political communications specialist and former Secretary General's Spokesperson and Director of Communications for the Commonwealth Secretariat.
S4 E3 SUITCASE EPISODE: Notes from East Asia: South Korea, Japan & Taiwan plus footnote on Sri Lanka
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
S4 E2 SUITCASE EPISODE: Notes from Central Asia and the Gulf: Kazakhstan, Uzbekistan and the UAE
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
S4 E1 SUITCASE EPISODE: Notes from the road - Europe
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....
S3 E8 Turkey with Sami Kent
As we come into land at the end of Series 3, in this episode I talk about Turkey with Sami Kent, journalist and radio producer and author of a new book on Turkey 'The Endless Country: A personal journey through Turkey's first hundred years'
S3 E7 Brazil with Aline Burni
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
S3 E6 The UK Labour Government and 75th NATO summit with Peter Apps
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 wel
S3 E5 Getting under the skin of the US with Ari Ratner
In this episode I talk to Ari Ratner, a former state department official and founder of strategic comms and policy advisory firm Danari Global
S3 E4 The EU with Aline Burni in Brussels and Mike Buckley in Sheffield
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
S3 E3 Colombia with Daniela Luque: What you wish you knew & what you'll be surprised to find out
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
S3 E2 Fireside chat with Anna-Joy and Matt Godwin: Britain as a major power, smart power and pioneering power
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
S3 E1 Jonn Elledge on history, borders and the British
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.
S2 E8 BONUS SUITCASE EDITION: Train travel with Hannah Methven
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.
S2 E7 The one on Argentina with Emmanuel Artusa-Barrell
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
S2 E6 The one on South Africa with Emma Ruiters
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
S2 E5 The one on NATO with Peter Apps
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
S2 E4 The one on the geopolitics of AI with David Lawrence (Part II)
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.
S2 E3 The one on China with David Lawrence (Part I)
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.
S2 E2 The one on feminist foreign policy with Kristina Lunz & The Story of Woman podcast
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 w
S2 E1 The one on 2024 elections with Andrew Bruce
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 th
S1 E9 The Wrap-Up: Goodbye 2023- Hello 2024 with Peter Apps
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 exam
S1 E8 Afghanistan with Peymana Assad: Kabul's fall, ice cream and dreams
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.
S1 E7 BONUS SUITCASE EDITION: Paris Christmas markets + secret year-long Paris travel tips
In this Bonus Suitcase Edition for the month (aka travel and adventure episode) I share my tips and tricks for creating amazing memories in Paris - from the practicalities of the Eurostar to my favourite off-the-beaten-track Parisien neighbourhood and even what to bring home in your suitcase! Listen to give you ideas (or daydreams) of mooching around Christmas markets or for year-round inspiration
S1 E6 A view from São Tomé & Príncipe island with Prime Minister Trovoada
This Autumn I had the honour of interviewing Prime Minister Patrice Trovoada from the West African island of São Tomé and Príncipe. Listen to this episode where I caught up with him over breakfast and talked about what it's like being the leader of a small nation, how Africa and the UK are connected, how our global connectedness helps fight climate change and his top leadership tip
S1 E5 BONUS SUITCASE EDITION: Solo remote travel with Dawn Marie Lamonica
This episode is our first bonus ‘suitcase episode’ where once a month we’ll connect with adventure, travel, culture and languages, because I know our listeners have a sprinkling of wanderlust AND what we learn about ourselves and others through travel is crucial for being a leader and decision-maker in today’s international environment. In this episode I speak to Dawn Marie LaMonica, a motivationa
S1 E4 Australia with Elizabeth Ames: Middle powers, history books + referendum woes
In this episode I talk to Elizabeth Ames on all things Australia - covering why the recent Australian Indigenous Voice Referendum didn't pass, our intwined history and (even more) future, and what we can learn from Australia on 'middle power diplomacy'.
S1 E3 The Israel-Hamas Conflict with Sam Rubens: Pain, the Past + Peacebuilding
In this episode I speak to Sam Rubens on the Israel-Hamas conflict. My own reflection from the devastating last fortnight is that it is a moment for our generation to understand anew this conflict, and to deepen our knowledge of it in order to be peace builders in our own communities and with the Middle East. So here I speak to my good friend Sam who grew up in the Jewish community in Manchester t
S1 E2 Ukraine with Victoria Vdovychenko: The people's diplomacy, Kyiv's past + 2024
In this episode I speak to Victoria Vdovychenko on Ukraine, digging behind the headlines to understand more about Ukrainian history and identity, the stories we’re not hearing about and the art of ‘The People’s Diplomacy’
S1 E1 The Sahel with Bachir Ouedraogo: Nomadic life, military coups + tomatoes
The Sahel region which sits between North Africa and sub-Saharan Africa is increasingly in the news but not known well in the UK. In this episode Bachir Ouedraogo, a former Minister of Energy of Burkina Faso, gives us unique insights into the people, culture and history of the Sahel and how they are facing the crises and opportunities of today...
TRAILER: The Great British Foreign Affairs Podcast
Welcome to the Great British Foreign Affairs Podcast – where Britain meets the world. Join me for insightful conversations with fascinating people to shape the way that Britain interacts across the globe. Jump into this trailer to discover more....
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