Dear Members and Friends,
A few days out of the country can do wonders for one’s sense of perspective: not everyone thinks of the world like us - nor is there any reason why they should. And, when the destinations in question are Serbia and Kosovo, it’s worth also remembering that they are not alone in holding contested views of the world. We sometimes behave as though there are “subjects” of foreign policy, including ourselves and our allies (and, of course, more threatening players), and those whom we unconsciously treat as “objects”, to whom foreign policy is “done”. It was good to hear the Prime Minister say in New York that our foreign policy could do with a dose of humility: I hope we’ll see more of it.
I’ve already mentioned that we’re keeping a close eye on the policy reviews set up by Foreign Secretary David Lammy. I imagine that many members will want to contribute direct to one or more of them. We at BEI are in touch with those working on the reviews on the role of diplomacy in supporting trade and on international development. Although we don’t lobby on behalf of members, we have heard your views on a number of the key issues and are planning opportunities to discuss in more detail before we send in our own thoughts. If you would like to discuss any aspect of these reviews – from the role of overseas Posts in supporting business to the approach to localisation in development – please get in touch.
This week, the common thread in our two international development events was the importance of localisation. On Monday, we hosted a full day event with several senior representatives of USAID and also Mike Shanley from Konektid International who discussed how UK partners can leverage USAID opportunities in key sectors. The day included panel discussions, breakout sessions, and one-to-one consultations, exploring USAID’s localisation agenda, which increasingly prioritises locally-led development and allocates a greater share of funding to local partners. The event also explored how USAID is evolving in response to changing political priorities.
On Wednesday, we launched the second edition of our Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) report, entitled "The Role of UK-Based Organisations in Advancing Global Gender Equality and Social Inclusion." The updated report includes new case studies from BEI members with a focus on the importance of localisation in advancing GESI goals. In the panel discussion, speakers from organisations including Concern Worldwide, World Vision and Cadmus (Invest Salone) discussed practical approaches to localisation and the evolving role of major donors including USAID and FCDO in driving the localisation agenda.
Also on Wednesday we hosted the latest event in our Market Opportunity Overview series with DBT, at which Alfredo Fierro, Director for Trade and Investment and Sonia Aponte Tinao, Deputy Director and Infrastructure lead based at the British Embassy in Buenos Aires were joined by Gonzalo Brest, Partner at KPMG Argentina. We learned that there are significant opportunities for British business across all aspects of infrastructure and engineering, energy, mining, industrial forestry and technology in Argentina, as well as potential for advisory services with the private sector. Speakers highlighted the importance of joining local value chains to find and secure opportunities. One important development this autumn is the launch of RIGI – Large Investment Incentive Regime – to promote major long-term investments, with tax, customs and foreign exchange incentives. Members are invited to watch the session recording here.
With half term next week, a quick heads-up on what we have in the programme for the first half of November. On Tuesday 5 November, we will be hosting our annual webinar with Caribbean Development Bank experts in education and social development to explore forthcoming opportunities and priorities in these sectors. We have two FCDO Development Director events: on 6 November with Cynthia Rowe in Nigeria and on 12 November with Alexandra Maclean in Sierra Leone. More on all of these on the website.
Finally, I return from my trip to the Western Balkans with a couple of tips which I hope may be useful. First, if you want the best night’s sleep you’ve had in ages, start the day by getting up at 4am for a 10-hour there-and-back road trip from Belgrade to Pristina. More seriously, there are some impressive business opportunities in the Western Balkans, where UK trade with the region has grown by an amazing 330% in the last five years and UKEF is fully engaged. Events like EXPO 2027 in Belgrade, drawing in EUR 17bn of planned investment, will help put the region firmly on the business map. Our colleagues at DBT in London and the region along with the British-Serbian Chamber of Commerce are organising the first ever UK-Western Balkans Commercial Conference in Belgrade at the end of November, with a major focus on sectors of interest to BEI members: infrastructure and renewable energy (as well as IT and agrifood). Full details can be found here. Do let me know if you’d like more background.
In the meantime, I wish you a restful weekend; after this week, I am certainly hoping for one…
David Landsman
Executive Chairman
British Expertise International
Recordings of recent past events:
- 26th September 2024: Scaling Infrastructure Decarbonisation Through Digital in Emerging Markets
- 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 stellar panel including the new UK High Commissioner to Tanzania alongside her counterpart in the UK, as well as speakers from the Tanzania Investment Centre and 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.
- 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.
External Events:
- 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.
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