The FCO's first-ever Leadership Conference took place at the Queen Elizabeth II Conference Centre on 6 and 7 January 2003. The Foreign Secretary, Jack Straw, all FCO Ministers, the FCO Board, Directors and almost all FCO Heads of Mission were present throughout. The Prime Minister, Tony Blair, addressed the conference. Senior Whitehall participants and prominent external experts informed the discussions.

The topic for discussion was how the FCO can deliver Britain's international priorities more effectively in a changing world. The conference focused on:

• Thinking ahead on policy issues: establishing clear priorities and focusing resources on strategic priorities.
• Working openly with stakeholders: drawing on experience from across Whitehall and also external partners including media, Non-Governmental Organisations and academia.
• Focusing on modernisation: with new urgency, to create the flexibility to respond quickly and actively to events and new priorities. Working effectively with teams with and for the whole of government; providing better services to British people and business abroad.

The aims of the conference were to:

• help break down preconceived barriers between domestic and foreign policy, physically bringing together and coordinating policy discussion between Whitehall leaders and all Heads of Mission for the first time;
• focus Heads of Missions' attention on the need to deliver even more effective services to the public; and to
• give new impetus to modernising the Office, responding flexibly to crises, anticipating not reacting to events, using resources to maximum effect, to get the best for Britain overseas.

FCO Business Plan 2003-06  (PDF, 1.4MB)
Prime Minister's speech to the FCO Leadership Conference, 6-7 January 2003  (PDF, 19K)
Foreign Secretary's speech to the FCO Leadership Conference, 6-7 January 2003  (PDF, 31K)
Permanent Under-Secretary's speech to the FCO Leadership Conference, 6-7 January 2003  (PDF, 19K)
Stakeholder consultation report  (PDF, 400K)