Dear Members and Friends,
The more of our international development members we talk to, the clearer it becomes that we need to understand the scale of the impacts – both primary and secondary - of the recent budget cuts announced in both the U and the US. We don’t know what kind of US foreign assistance programme will survive, but it will be (presumably) much smaller and (certainly) very different in geographical and sectoral reach. It would be hardly surprising if US support for many of the multilateral agencies is also significantly reduced. At the same time, if the UK reduces development assistance to 0.3% of GNI but maintains its international commitments at current levels, the actual cut to bilateral programmes – where bang for buck is often more direct and transparent – will be significantly greater. And the UK and US are not alone, with the Netherlands, for example, having also reduced their funding while at the same time putting a focus on programmes which can best leverage domestic capacity, including in some of the areas – much of the support to Ukraine comes to mind - where our members are uniquely able to deliver impact in complex environments and at pace. As promised, we have posted a blog on last week’s event which looked at the future of international development.
These concerns were top of mind for the group of our members this week who had the opportunity to meet with Tom Sanderson, Head of Profession for Private Sector Development FCDO. I’m very grateful to Tom for sharing his insights on the evolution of the suite of innovative private-sector development programmes which FCDO is supporting. I’m also grateful to members who joined us for this session: at a time when FCDO and the sector have a shared interest in maintaining impact and securing the sustainability of UK expertise in development, there’s a lot we can achieve with a collaborative approach where we put the skills and experience of the sector at the disposal of the Government and other stakeholders to help them with the difficult decisions which they have to take. I look forward to more equally productive discussions in the weeks and months ahead.
Building on our discussion with Tom, there is clearly scope for doing more to leverage private funding and enhance impact beyond the established geographies and sectors and even reaching into the intersection of economic development. For us, we will explore the opportunity to work with members who have programmes in these areas to highlight the intersections with defence and security priorities.
Meanwhile, this week Luisa has been leading our Higher Education Trade Mission to Kazakhstan, visiting both Astana and Almaty with BEI members AdvanceHE, Arup, NOCN Group, Pearson, QAA, Rosetta Stone/ IXL Learning and UCL Consultants. This represents a significant step in strengthening our growing education collaboration with a wide range of government and private partners in Kazakhstan. In Astana, we were hosted by H.E. Kathy Leach, British Ambassador, for a reception at her Residence; organised a roundtable with H.E. Sayasat Nurbek, Minister of Science and Higher Education; and engaged with the National Testing Center of the Ministry of Education and Science. In Astana, the programme included panel discussions at Coventry University and KazGASA, covering quality assurance, technology advancement and AI in education, employability and life-long learning skills, as well as the mobilisation of private capital for education. Look out in the next few days for Luisa’s blog with more details on the opportunities in Kazakhstan.
Back in Grafton Street yesterday afternoon, we hosted the March session of our Climate Networking series with Nick Lambert, co-founder and director of NLA International. Nick’s work focuses on the significant value of the blue natural capital possessed by island and coastal states and takes a strategic approach to the opportunity they have to derive socio-economic benefit from that capital while helping to regenerate the marine environment. “Blue Economy” as a term increasingly focuses on practice rather than theory. For the navies and coastguards of the world, there is an increasingly important role to play as blue economy nations grow the contribution their seas make to their GDP. Oceans must be protected, but they are also an almost completely untapped resource that contains enough energy to power modern civilisation and could play a pivotal role in combating climate change.
Next week, we are looking forward to "Resilience in Action," a Roundtable on Wednesday, 26th March, with our members Mercy Corps and NIRAS. The roundtable will discuss best practices for growing the resilience of people, communities, and systems to achieve transformational change in contexts affected by climate change, conflict and other disasters.
Also, on the broad theme of resilience, we will be hosting an in-person panel discussion on 8th April on Developing Resilient Public Health Systems with speakers from City St George’s, University of London, Dulas, International SOS, Options Consultancy Services and Sightsavers. Panellists will provide valuable insights into how different strategies can contribute to building resilient health systems capable of tackling acute and chronic public health threats.
Looking forward, the next event in our climate change series will be on 9 April with keynote speaker Virginie Fayolle, Head of Climate at Mott MacDonald International Development Services.
Finally, those with an interest in water resilience will want to read WaterAid UK’s latest report published on 12th March. The report focuses on the climatic trends over the past 42 years and the effects that this is having on the world’s 100 most populated cities. It sets out how, at a time when urban populations continue to grow, the world’s biggest cities are increasingly exposed to floods and droughts - or both - with Southeast Asia experiencing more flooding and Europe more droughts. Their new research ranks how well-equipped cities are to cope with climate changes, with the attendant risks to access to clean water for communities on the front line.
Crucially, WaterAid examines the social and infrastructural vulnerabilities of existing WASH services and the continuing effect that erratic weather patterns are having on marginalised communities. As two-thirds of the global population is projected to live in cities by 2050, and climate hazards become more intense and erratic, there is an urgent need for decision-makers to understand the threats to infrastructure and society and to do more to achieve and maintain universal and equitable access to WASH in cities.
With best wishes for the weekend,
David Landsman
Executive Chairman
British Expertise International
Recordings of recent past events:
- 20th February 2025: Unlocking Potential: Expanding Affordable Housing Solutions in Africa (Slides only, recording to come)
- 25th February 2025: Education Working Group: Driving Operational Effectiveness in International Schools
- 6th March 2025: Angola – Market Opportunity Overview
Key events coming up include the following:
- 26th March 2025 16:00 – 19:00 GMT: Resilience in Action - Join us on 26th March for an in-person panel and networking event on the topic of Resilience in Action. The panel will discuss best-practice for growing the resilience of people, communities, and systems to achieve transformational change in contexts affected by climate change, conflicts, and other disasters.
- 8th April 2025 16:00 – 18:30 BST: Developing Resilient Public Health Systems - Join us on 8th April for an in-person panel discussion on Developing Resilient Public Health Systems with speakers from City St George’s, University of London, Dulas, International SOS, Options Consultancy Services and Sightsavers. Our panellists will provide valuable insights into how different strategies and initiatives can contribute to building resilient health systems capable of tackling acute and chronic public health threats.
- 9th April 2025 16:00 – 19:00 BST: 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 Virginie Fayolle, Head of Climate at Mott MacDonald International Development Services.
- 30th April 2025 10:00 – 11:30 BST: Mauritius – Market Opportunity Overview - Join our virtual Market Opportunity Overview on Mauritius, featuring speakers from DBT and senior Mauritian government officials and industry leaders. We will discuss the UK-Mauritius Strategic Trade Partnership (STP), and focus on key opportunities in Education & Skills Development, Healthcare & Digital Health, Green Economy & Sustainability, and the Blue Economy.
- 26th June 2025 10:00 – 11:30 BST: Achieving Systems Change for Disaster Risk Management and Climate Adaptation - This roundtable will explore the complexities of Disaster Risk Management, with a particular focus on Early Warning Systems and locally-led solutions to resilience, and discuss strategies for overcoming these challenges.
External Events:
- 2nd - 4th April 2025: Energy Week Black Sea 2025 at Sheraton Bucharest. As the premier renewable energy conference for the Black Sea region, the event gathers decision-makers to shape the renewable energy future across Romania, Bulgaria, Moldova, Ukraine, Türkiye, and Georgia. British companies can take advantage of an exclusive 15% discount by using the code EWBS_GB during registration. To secure your discounted participation, register now using this link.
- 8th - 10th April 2025: Forecasting Healthy Futures Global Summit. Don’t miss this chance to participate in shaping the health agenda for this year’s UN Climate Change Conference. At this year's FHF Summit you will hear from leading adaptation experts, private sector corporations, and regional development banks, on innovative solutions to financing and building health system resilience. Register here.
- 9th - 11th April 2025: ESG Adria Summit 2025 in Tivat, Montenegro - The Summit will provide an action-oriented forum for leaders to explore solutions to challenges in climate, energy, finance, technological transformation, and workforce development. It will include high-level panels, fireside chats, interactive workshops, startup showcases, and closed-door ministerial meetings, ensuring meaningful engagement across sectors. BEI Members can get a 10% discount on tickets by using the following code when registering: DGroupESGAdria2025.
- 7th & 8th May 2025: Global Leakage Summit - The premier event for the international leakage community to listen, learn, and build relationships, tackling the toughest challenges together. Join presenters and panelists from leading UK and international water companies, and explore the latest technologies, data innovations, and software solutions from our exhibitors. In the face of climate change and record-high global investment in leakage management, this two-day conference promises a world-class knowledge-sharing program and invaluable networking opportunities.
- 2nd - 6th June 2025: Asia Clean Energy Forum 2025 at ADB Headquarters, Manila, Philippines. This is one of ADB’s signature events where clean energy practitioners from across the world convene to share insights and experience in the design and implementation of concrete actions that accelerate the financing of clean and efficient energy solutions. Registration will be open soon. For more details on how the 2024 ACEF transpired, you may refer to this link: Home ACEF 2024 - Asia Clean Energy Forum.
- 3rd - 5th September 2025, KazBuild 2025, Kazakhstan: Stand booking is now open for international exhibitors at KazBuild exhibition in Kazakhstan - the largest international building and interiors exhibition in Kazakhstan, annually welcoming over 7,000 specialist trade visitors to the show. KazBuild will be held 3-5 September 2025 in Almaty, the biggest city of Kazakhstan. Held since 1994, the exhibition showcases the latest products, services, technologies, and projects available on the market, and provides a key platform for governmental and building industry professionals to exchange experiences, establish cooperation and share the latest industry developments. Please contact Mrs. Tatyana Borodikhina by email: tatyana.borodikhina@exhibitions-conferences.com to learn more about how KazBuild can help to establish your business in Kazakhstan.
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