Dear Members and Friends,
As we head into the last few weeks of July, the weather is already teasing us with high temperatures, forcing us into the two standard behaviors we always seem to exhibit — hoping the weather is this good when we actually take our own holidays, whilst simultaneously complaining that it is ‘too hot’. My suggestion is enjoy this lovely weather whilst it lasts…
This week, we have hosted two great events:
On Wednesday 13th July we hosted a presentation on the highlights of the latest World Bank’s Global Economic Prospects report published in June 2022. The data was a little depressing — World Bank Senior Economist, Patrick Kirby summarised the key insights from a report that suggests global growth is expected to slump significantly. The report also points to the likelihood of an extended period of weak growth and elevated inflation, raising the risk of stagflation, leading to potentially harmful consequences for middle- and low-income economies alike. There is however potential for growth, which could be triggered by labour market growth, productivity gains, increased sustainability, as well as greater investment resulting from business climate improvement.
On Thursday 14th July, we were delighted to host a lunch with Kyrgystan Ambassador to the UK, H.E. Ulan Djusupov. The new Kyrgyzstan Ambassador to the UK gave an excellent overview on the current political and economic situation and more importantly an overview and insights on areas of opportunity for UK companies looking to do business in Kyrgyzstan. The Ambassador noted that the deepening of investment, trade and economic cooperation with the UK is a priority for the Kyrgyz Republic, as it is the largest trade partner of Kyrgyzstan among European countries. The Ambassador invited British companies to visit Kyrgyzstan to get acquainted with the country and establish contacts with potential Kyrgyz partners, and we look forward to following up on plans for a potential trade mission.
A number of our working groups also met this week and if you are interested in learning more about these groups which include Climate Change, Education, Infrastructure & the Built Environment, Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, and the Safeguarding Leads Network please contact our events team.
There was also an excellent reception for the alumni, faculty and people interested in participating in the Future Leaders Group programme that kicks off from September onwards. If you were not able to attend but would like any more information on this course, please do not hesitate to register your interest here
Moving into the last few weeks of July, we have a number of exciting engagements lined up, starting with three events for next week.
On 20th July, join us as we host an event on UK Public Opinion on International Development in conversation with Sophia Gaston Director of the British Foreign Policy Group (BFPG). This follows the recent publication of the Annual Survey of UK Public Opinion on Foreign Policy — the leading study of British attitudes on international affairs. Sophia will share her insights on UK public opinion on international development as well as a few thoughts on the UK government’s International Development Strategy.
The 2022 report finds the nation in a state of transition, with Brexit and the pandemic receding, but the war in Ukraine, tensions in alliances, and the cost-of-living crisis, forging a new period of uncertainty for Britons.
On Wednesday 20th July, the BEI Education Working Group will be hosting an in-person round table with Azerbaijan’s Minister of Education, Emin Amrullayev. The Minister will share details on the Ministry of Education’s strategy, insights on ways of working with British organisations and institutions, and Azerbaijan’s needs in the education and skills space.
On Thursday 21st July, don’t miss out, join us for a session providing insights into Working with The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC). Presenters will share details of MCC’s strategy and provide information on navigating the procurement processes. The MCC works in many sectors of interest for our members and other UK organisations including in: roads and transport infrastructure, education, energy, health, water sanitation & irrigation and agriculture. This event is open to our members and networks.
Moving into the final week of July, on 27 July, join us for a presentation on the Independent Commission for Aid Impact (ICAI) rapid review on ‘Tackling fraud in UK Aid through multilateral organisation’, which complements a previous review on tackling fraud in UK aid in which the UK government committed to ensuring a ‘truly transparent, efficient system’ linking multilateral funding to performance.
Join us on 28th July for a presentation by FCDO Development Director, Annabel Gerry, as she shares insights on UK’s ODA funded development support priorities for Pakistan and how these align with the UK government’s International Development Strategy. Almost a third of Pakistan’s population lives in poverty, with women most seriously affected.
We have made great progress on our programme of events for Autumn/Winter; I will share a first overview of this in the Newsletter next week — we are excited by the breadth and diversity of the agenda we have put together.
Finally, temperatures look set to continue to climb over the coming days, I hope you will all be able to enjoy the heat and great outdoors with family and friends — keep hydrated and stay safe.
With Best Wishes
Derrick
Derrick Sanyahumbi
Chief Executive Officer
British Expertise International
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Don’t forget…
See our full events programme here, and to enquire about becoming a member of BEI, register your interest here.
Join our Working Groups — as part of our member focus, the working groups offer opportunities for peer-to-peer engagement, learning & sharing, profiling expertise & capabilities and highlighting thought leadership. Groups include Climate Change, Education, and Equity, Diversity & Inclusion, and we also support a Safeguarding Leads Network. For details, please contact our events team.
Join our LinkedIn Group and keep up with our news and our upcoming events highlights. Members can also post and share latest news and thought leadership. Join the group here.
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Upcoming Events
For any event registration support please contact the events team. Click on titles to access full event details. The full calendar of events can be viewed here.
13th July — Global Economic Prospects Report
14th July — Lunch with Ambassador of Kyrgyz Republic to the United Kingdom
19th July — The Global Sports Economy: Insights and Opportunities (infrastructure)
19th July — Peru Deep Dive — Opportunities in Infrastructure and Climate Resilience & Adaptation
20th July — UK Public Opinion on Development & IDS Insights
20th July — Education Roundtable with Azerbaijan’s Minister of Education
21st July — Working with The Millennium Challenge Corporation (MCC)
27 th July — ICAI Rapid Review Presentation: Tackling fraud in UK Aid through multilateral organisation
28th July — FCDO Pakistan: Development Priorities: UK’s development support priorities for Pakistan
14th September — Middle East Opportunities for UK Business with HM Trade commissioner Simon Penney
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External News & Events
19th July (11:00am BST) : BKS Webinar — Chairman of the Constitutional Court of the Republic of Kazakhstan to Address the BKS Law Group’s Inaugural Event
Join BKS Chairman Rupert Goodman and the BKS Law Group Chairman Mark Beer to hear from thought leaders, including the Chairman of the newly formed Constitutional Court, about the recent Constitutional Reforms and what they mean for you and your business.
This is the first event of the BKS Law Group, which supports the British-Kazakh Society in the promotion of relations between the United Kingdom and Kazakhstan with particular reference to the legal and justice sectors, as well as acting as the focal point for the British-Kazakh Society and its members in relation to legal and judicial matters. Detailed information on the speakers and their topics can be found on the registration link here.
15th September — 2nd Arab British Economic Summit. ABES 2022 will bring together senior government officials, ministers, diplomats, executives, investors and decision makers from the public and private sectors of the UK and the 22 Arab countries. It is a forum that attracts high calibre speakers who share their wealth of expertise and experience with the global audience of business owners, investors and exporters. ABES 2022 is organised by the Arab British Chamber of Commerce, a trusted champion of the Arab-British partnership and an influential voice for business within the UK and Arab World. For more details, click here.
28th — 29th September — Field Electronics and Sensors Training: the UK Centre for Ecology & Hydrology (UKCEH) one-day BEGINNER course will give participants an introduction to electronics as applied to environmental sensors in the field. The one-day ADVANCED course will build on the Beginners course and Learners will gain advanced knowledge on data logging systems, sensors, communication protocols and remote data downloading. Find more details HERE.
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