The Department is responsible for ‘promoting British interests
overseas and supporting our citizens and businesses across the
Globe’.
In 2007, the then Government introduced Departmental Strategic
Objectives 4 (DSOs) to the performance framework, designed to
formulate and specifically measure departmental objectives. During
2009-10 the Department had eight Departmental Strategic Objectives:
maintaining a global network; supporting the British economy;
supporting British nationals abroad; supporting managed migration
to Britain; countering terrorism and weapons proliferation;
preventing and resolving conflict; promoting a low carbon high
growth global economy; and develop effective international
institutions above all the United Nations and the European
Union.
In May 2010, the new Foreign Secretary, Rt Hon William Hague MP,
announced that the Department’s priorities would be refined. He
announced in a series of speeches on foreign policy that the
Department would focus on supporting the British economy,
protecting national security and aiding British citizens abroad. He
emphasised five themes:
- bringing strategic decision making about foreign policy,
security policy and development together in a National Security
Council;
- the transatlantic alliance and our engagement in Afghanistan
and Pakistan;
- building up British engagement beyond Europe and North
America;
- reform of international Institutions; and
- upholding the highest values of our society.
November 2010