Director General: Mark Lyall Grant

We cover the following areas:

Multilateral security, human rights and governance challenges and the institutions that deal with them.

• International security and institutions
• Middle East and North Africa
• Russia, South Caucasus and Central Asia
• South Asia 
• South Asia and Afghanistan
  • Afghanistan Group
  • Afghan Drugs Interdepartmental Unit

International Security and Institutions Directorate

Director, International Security: Paul Johnston

• NATO
• European security and defence policy
• Conflict issues (including human rights)
• UN Security Council.  

Director, International Institutions: Anwar Choudhury

• Reform of international institutions 
• UN policy issues 
• Human rights, 
• Democracy
• Good governance 
• OSCE, Council of Europe, Commonwealth

The Directorate has four groups:

Conflict Group

Preventing conflict or limiting and managing its consequences, and resolving it effectively and permanently.   When it ends, helping communities and individuals to rebuild their lives quickly and securely.  

Enquiries
Email: cig-enquiries@fco.gov.uk
Tel: +44 (0)20 7008 6227 / 3721

Human Rights, Democracy & Governance Group

Promoting human rights, democracy and good governance throughout the world.

Working with FCO geographical teams, to strengthen local capacity to promote and defend human rights, democracy and good governance.  Helping deliver change through programme funding for human rights and democracy projects.    

Enquiries
Email: HRDGGenquiries@fco.gov.uk
Tel: +44 (0)20 7008 2369/2501

International Organisations Department

Working for a more effective United Nations (UN), Organisation for Security and Cooperation in Europe and Council of Europe.  

With our Commonwealth partners delivering UK foreign policy objectives on climate change, good governance and democracy, human rights, counter-radicalisation and delivery of the Millennium Development Goals.  

Enquiries
Email: IODEnquiriesPoint@fco.gov.uk
Tel: +44 (0)20 7008 3907/2487

Security Policy Group

Leading on how the use of military capability, co-ordinated closely with civilian effort, can make the world a safer place, including in conflict resolution, stabilisation and counter-proliferation.    

Liaising with the Ministry of Defence and the armed forces, the Cabinet Office, the Department for International Development and the Stabilisation Unit.  
Addressing the longer term challenges and threats to the UK; building, sustaining and using NATO and the European security and defence policy; and nuclear and conventional disarmament and control.

The Security Policy Group also works to Defence and Intelligence.

Enquiries
Email: secpol.enquiries@fco.gov.uk    
Tel: +44 (0)20 7008 2268 / 3136 / 3135

Middle East and North Africa

Director: John Jenkins

• Arabian Peninsular 
• Arab-Israel and North Africa 
• Iran co-ordinator 
• Iraq

Enquiries
Tel: +44 (0)20 7008 2197

Russia, South Caucasus and Central Asia

Director: Michael Davenport

• Russia
• South Caucasus
• Central Asia

Enquiries
Tel: +44 (0)20 7008 4015

South Asia

Director: Philip Barton

• Sri Lanka, Bangladesh and the Maldives 
• India, Nepal and Bhutan 
• Indo-Pakistan relations 
• Shanghai Expo 2010

Enquiries
Email: Michelle.john@fco.gov.uk  
Tel: +44 (0)20 7008 2382

South Asia and Afghanistan

Afghanistan Group

Leading on developing, coordinating and delivering the UK's policy on Afghanistan.  We have dedicated teams working closely with our posts there:

• The British Embassy in Kabul 
• The UK's Provincial Reconstruction Team in Lashkar Gah, Helmand Province – and
• Our posts the surrounding region.

Maintaining close working relationships with the Department for International Development, the Ministry of Defence and the Stabilisation Unit.
Acting as host department for two cross-Whitehall Afghanistan teams on strategy and communications

Enquiries
Email afghanistan.group@fco.gov.uk  
Tel: +44 (0)20 7008 3027

Afghan Drugs Interdepartmental Unit (ADIDU)

Director: Adam Thomson

ADIDU is a cross-Whitehall body supporting the government of Afghanistan to secure a sustainable decrease in poppy cultivation and drug trafficking, and the development of a coherent approach to rule of law in the country.

Enquiries
Tel: +44 (0)20 7008 5137