Dear Members and Friends,
Once again this week attention in the UK has turned somewhat inwards as the Chancellor delivered her first budget since the General Election. Evie Aspinall has analysed the international-facing announcements; you can read her article here. From the BEI perspective, the policy paper which accompanies the Budget confirms earlier announcements on the industrial and trade strategies to be published next year, alongside a commitment both to working more closely with the European Union and to making use of a range of other tools to promote trade, including Free Trade Agreements. At the same time, while international development spending remains at 0.5% of GNI, the Government will not follow the example set by its predecessor to top up the international development budget in (partial) mitigation of the cost of housing asylum seekers in the UK, which it acknowledges has had significant implications for the funds available for projects overseas. This announcement has occasioned a good deal of adverse comment from different directions: we must hope that the Government is able to meet its target to reduce the asylum backlog, and therefore the cost to the international development budget, soon.
With the Budget announcements this week, our friends at the Coalition for Global Prosperity have released a new report this week on The Rising Price of Global Freedom. The report documents the negative international developments over the past five years which threaten to undermine prosperity at home and abroad, from the Russian invasion of Ukraine to the conflict in the Middle East. It draws attention to the threats to UK security, including from the fragmentation of international partnerships at a time when cooperation is more needed than ever. In terms of British policy, it argues for the strategic use of the “3Ds” - defence, development and diplomacy – to help address threats at source with an overall budget of 3.5% of GDP. It’s a call not just for more spending, but for better and more joined-up strategy and execution and is definitely worth a read.
I mentioned a couple of weeks ago Sasha’s mission to Baku Build. I’m sure our members will be delighted to know that she missed no opportunity to promote BEI: if you missed it, take a look at this short clip.
Also, Luisa has written a blog on the recent DBT Education Trade Mission to Uzbekistan and Kazakhstan. If you would like to read the blog, the link is here.
After the half term break, our events programme resumes next week. On Tuesday, we have a webinar on working with the Caribbean Development Bank on Education and Social Development. Speakers include: Kemberley Gittens, Operations Officer (Social Analyst); Claudia Louis, Operations Officer (Education); Christine Mohammed, Operations Officer (Procurement); and Shane Nicholls, Country Director Barbados and Eastern Caribbean.
On Wednesday, we will have the next in our FCDO Development Director series focusing on Nigeria; we’re grateful to Cynthia Rowe for joining us and our members online. A reminder that the following week on 12 November we will turn to Sierra Leone.
On Thursday 7 November we are planning – tube strike permitting - our next Climate Change Networking Evening in Grafton Street, with Andy Blackhall, Managing Director of WRc, as keynote speaker. Andy has deep expertise in the water sector with experience in and beyond Government. He is also Chairman of the International Forum for British Water, where he represents the views of the UK supply chain and also a Non-Executive Director of Waterwise, an NGO committed to encouraging the efficient use of water. We will sadly have to postpone this event if the strike goes ahead. We’ll confirm next week.
Members may also be interested in a panel discussion which our colleagues at D Group are organising at 16:30 on Tuesday 12 November on the UK Government’s Green Development Plan, which is part of the strategy to deliver on the Government’s mission to make Britain a clean energy.
Our panel will bring the North East (Tees Valley Combined Authority) perspective to how they are investing in the industries of the future such as carbon capture, storage, and hydrogen. It will also highlight recent Cardiff University research on collaboration across supply chains, case studies from City FM on driving cardon reduction in existing buildings and insights from National Highways on low carbon technology and different ways of building. The debate will range from how to harness the best new ideas, through the planning and procurement cycle to implementing at scale. If you’d like to attend, please contact Daniel Bregman at the D Group – daniel@dgroup.co.uk
As always, I look forward to your thoughts on how we respond to the ever-changing (and ever-challenging) agenda ahead. In the meantime, I wish you a good weekend,
David Landsman
Executive Chairman
British Expertise International
Recordings of recent past events:
- 3rd October 2024: Innovations in Insurance for Climate Adaptation
- 8th October 2024: Working with the European Bank for Reconstruction and Development
- 23rd October 2024: Argentina - Market Opportunity Overview
Key events coming up include the following:
- 5th November 2024 15:00– 16:30 GMT: Caribbean Development Bank – Education & Social Inclusion - This event is our annual webinar with experts in Education and Social Development from the Caribbean Development Bank (CDB), to explore upcoming opportunities and priorities in the education and social development sectors.
- 6th November 2024 09:30 – 10:30 GMT: FCDO Development Director Series: Nigeria - Join us as we host Cynthia Rowe, Development Director in Nigeria for the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), who will present FCDO’s development strategy, programming and pipeline of opportunities in Nigeria.
- 7th November 2024 16:00 – 19:00 GMT: Climate Change Networking Evening - Join us for an evening of thought-provoking conversation, potential new partnerships and the chance to meet with members of our Climate Change Working Group. Our keynote speaker this time is Andy Blackhall, Managing Director of WRc. Andy will reflect on his career and his hopes for the future.
- 12th November 2024 09:00 – 10:30 GMT: Tanzania – Market Opportunity Overview -Tanzania offers a range of exciting opportunities to UK organisations in sectors including energy, infrastructure, mining, climate-resilient agriculture and skills development, as well as opportunities in the Blue Economy in Zanzibar. We are delighted to welcome a panel including the UK Deputy High Commissioner to Tanzania alongside the Tanzania High Commissioner to the UK, as well as speakers from the Tanzania Investment Centre and the UK DBT.
- 12th November 2024 15:00 – 16:00 GMT: FCDO Development Director: Sierra Leone - Join us as we host Alex MacLean, Development Director in Sierra Leone for the Foreign, Commonwealth & Development Office (FCDO), who will present FCDO’s development strategy, programming and pipeline of opportunities in Sierra Leone. Alex will also be joined by sector directors from the British Embassy in Sierra Leone for the Q&A part of the session.
- 14th November 2024 10:00 – 11:30 GMT: Morocco – Market Opportunity Overview - Wrapping up an eventful and exciting year in UK-Morocco bilateral trade relations, we are thrilled to welcome back our colleagues from the Department for Business and Trade to share updates on recent UK achievements and future opportunities.
- 14th November 2024 15:00– 16:30 GMT: COP16 Outcomes - The Sixteenth Meeting of the Conference of the Parties to the Convention on Biological Diversity (COP16) is taking place in Cali, Colombia between 21st October and 1st November 2024. Our panel will reflect on their experiences at COP16, distil some of their key takeaways, and discuss their hopes for the future.
- 26th November 2024 09:00 – 10:30 GMT: India – Opportunities in Disaster Risk Resilience - Weather related disasters such as extreme heat, droughts and massive flooding are increasing in frequency and intensity in India. Ahead of a DBT trade mission, explore key opportunities in various aspects of Disaster Risk Resilience in the Indian market.
- 27th November 2024 15:00 – 16:15 GMT: AI in Digital Assessment - Join us online for our November Education Working Group which will focus on AI in Digital Assessment, with a panel of members from MetaMetrics, QAA and Rosetta Stone.
- 28th November 2024 09:00 – 10:15 GMT: Working with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Australia - This online event on Working with the Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade (DFAT), Australia will feature a panel of BEI members sharing their experiences of working with DFAT. The panel of existing suppliers to DFAT and former colleagues who worked as part of Australian Aid will share tips and tricks on how to win contracts, how to prepare for funding from DFAT, and the challenges organisations may encounter suppliers.
- 3rd December 2024 09:30 – 10:30 GMT: India Education Deep Dive with the Department for Business and Trade (DBT) - Join us for a webinar deep dive into education opportunities in India led by the Department for Business and Trade (DBT). The DBT Education team in India will provide us with an overview and insights into the key education sector opportunities available for British businesses, advice on cultural understanding, and tips for navigating the Indian market.
- 5th December 2024 10:00 – 11:30 GMT: COP29 Outcomes - As COP29 approaches in Baku, Azerbaijan, policy makers, investors and the business community are all looking forward to the negotiations’ outcomes. To help BEI members unpack COP29’s outcomes, our speakers will discuss their experiences at COP29, their main takeaways, and their hopes for the future.
External Events:
- 12th November 2024: Moroccan-UK Investment Conference at The Cumberland Hotel - This exclusive event offers a valuable platform to explore investment opportunities in Morocco’s thriving agricultural sector. Highlights include an expert-led conference on trends and opportunities in Moroccan agriculture, and B2G meetings with the Agricultural Development Agency (ADA), an essential public institution fostering sector investments.
- 19th November 2024 14:00 – 15:00 GMT: Safeguarding Leads Network - A one-hour session co-hosted by CHS Alliance and the Safeguarding Leads Network, showcasing the Harmonised Reporting Scheme (HRS)—a simple yet powerful platform designed to help businesses easily report on SEAH incidents, comply with donor requirements, and uncover trends in sexual misconduct. Click here to register.
- 25th November 2024 10:45 – 13:00 GST: Sustainable Infrastructure and Energy Mission – Meet the Buyer Event - The UK Government’s Department for Business and Trade, are bringing a trade delegation of approximately 60 UK companies to the UAE from 24-29 November 2024 to participate in a Sustainable Infrastructure and Energy Mission, which will coincide with the Big 5 Global in Dubai and the RAK Energy Summit in Ras Al Khaimah. As part of an in-market activity, there is a Meet the Buyer event to enable the delegation to engage with local UAE companies and present their products and services, many of which will be completely new to the market. For more information, please email Bashira Meah via bashira.meah@businessandtrade.gov.uk.
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