Feb 10, 2023

BEI Weekly Update — 10th February 2023

by

Peter O’Kane

by

Dear BEI members and supporters,

Welcome to this week’s newsletter. In a week which saw a relevant cabinet reshuffle for UK exporting business, on which I comment, Alexandra reports on a significant event at 23 Grafton Street reporting on HMG’s progress scoping opportunities with its private sector advisers for reconstruction in Ukraine. There is the usual listing of forthcoming events, links to the event that took place this week on Climate TRACE and an introduction to new members Education and Training Foundation and Smart PA. Looking across the rest of 23 Grafton Street and with the publication of the updated Integrated Review expected any day, we share our think tank, BFPG’s, Submission to the Foreign Affairs Committee, where the focus was on China.

Warm regards,

Peter O’Kane

Chairman

British Expertise International/Strategy International

Events Update

Recordings of recent events can be found via this link. They include a recording of this week’s Climate TRACE event where we learnt about the work and mission of Climate TRACE. Their emissions inventory is the world’s first comprehensive accounting of GHG emissions based primarily on direct, independent observation.

Link to recent event recordings →

Key events coming up include the following:

14th February 2023 15:00-16:00 GMT: GESI Working Group - The Gender Equality and Social Inclusion (GESI) Working Group has replaced the previous Girls’ Education Working Group following a need to engage on wider matters of equality and inclusion not just related to women and girls, but other marginalised members of society.
20th February 2023 09:30 - 12:30 GMT: Discussion with International Water Delegations - Join us Monday 20th February as we host senior delegates, representing utilities and water ministries from Saudi Arabia, Egypt, Peru, South Africa, the Dominican Republic, Kuwait, Brazil, Tanzania, Kenya and the Philippines.
21st February 2023 16:00-19:00 GMT: Skills and Training Working Group - The Skills and Training Working Group was established to provide a collaborative forum for sharing interest, experience and knowledge to enhance the British Skills offer internationally and support British Expertise International members to convert their commercial opportunities.
22nd February 2023 12:00-14:00 GMT: Hong Kong Infrastructure Opportunties - Join us on Tuesday 22nd February as we host a senior delegation from Hong Kong, led by the Permanent Secretary for Development (Works) of the HKSAR Government, Mr. Ricky LAU, to showcase the massive infrastructure development and opportunities in Hong Kong and to enhance collaboration with industry stakeholders in UK.
23rd February 2023 15:00 - 16:30 GMT: Donor Clinic with USAid - online workshop with a team from the U.S. Agency for International Development (USAID) who will share their tips and tricks on how to work with USAID as well as the challenges suppliers may encounter and how to overcome these.
24th February 2023 09:30 - 13:00 GMT: UK India Digital Water Conference - Join us on Friday the 24th of February as we host the UK Digital Water Conference for a Working Group session to explore issues surrounding water and areas of collaboration for solutions. The Working group will host companies from both UK and India, comprising a mix of utilities, private companies and water stakeholders, providing a platform for exchange of information on innovations, technologies and products in the digital water space.
7th March 2023 10:00-11:30 GMT: Market Opportunity Overview: Nepal - in partnership with the British Embassy. Nepal has demonstrated its commitment to increasing its renewable energy and to making its infrastructure more resilient and sustainable. It also presents significant opportunities in education and skills development.
28th March 2023 10:00- 11:30 BST: Morocco Infrastructure Opportunities- The relationship between the UK and Morocco is entering a new era of positive relations following the UK-Morocco Association Agreement in 2022. Recent discussions have focused on renewed collaboration on trade, education, climate, clean energy and green growth, as well as the global implications of the Russia-Ukraine conflict on food and energy security.
13th April 2023 10:00-11:15 BST: Jordan, Iraq, Lebanon Education Deep Dive with DIT - Join us for a deep dive into the education opportunities in Jordan, Iraq, and Lebanon as led by teams from the Department for International Trade and Foreign Commonwealth and Development Office. They will aim to provide us with an insight into the key education priorities for UK plc looking to do business in the three countries.

For an overview of our planned events for the early part of the year, you can see a useful infographic here: BEI Winter/Spring Events Programme 2023

Register for an upcoming event →

External Events

20 & 21st February 2023 - Teacher Training Mission to Malaysia: The UK Department for International Trade (DIT) will lead a UK trade mission focusing on K-12 Teacher Training opportunities. The aim of the mission is to connect teacher training providers/specialists, government officials and education institutions leaders to learn about the latest thinking and innovations on Teacher Training Education. For more information, please contact Husna Hamimi Hashim on husna.hashim@fcdo.gov.uk
21st - 22nd February 2023 - World Water-Tech Innovation Summit, London: Join 400+ utilities, engineering firms, regulators, tech pioneers, investors and start-ups for two days packed with discussions and networking opportunities focused on energy efficiency and climate resiliency in the water industry. Save an extra 10% with code BE10:https://worldwatertechinnovation.com/agenda/
25th February – 5th March - “Sustainability & Education Immersion Week” In Panama. Providing the opportunity to visit and learn from government agencies, educational institutions and private sector to collectively collaborate in creating innovative instruments to boost student mobility, transnational education (TNE) (in the short- and medium-term) and Clean Growth (in the long-term).
UN International Procurement Seminar (UN IPS) on 7-8 March 2023 at the UN City in Copenhagen and the registration process. UNGM registration is required to participate in the UN IPS and request 1-2-1 meetings with UN Procurement officers. If your company is already registered on the UNGM, it is possible to already express an interest in participating on the link below (this expression is not a formal offer/acceptance). UN International Procurement Seminar, Copenhagen, 7-8 March 2023 (ungm.org)