Dear Members and Friends,
To start this week with some “family” news, you may by now have seen a message from our Group Chairman Peter O’Kane announcing our move over the summer break to temporary premises at the Institute of Mechanical Engineers at 1 Birdcage Walk while 23 Grafton Street undergoes a complete refurbishment.
BEI will of course be continuing with our regular programme of activities, in person and virtual, international visits and all the other support we provide to members. But the move to Westminster will bring us some new opportunities which we will aim to leverage to the full. We will be closer to Parliament and Whitehall and will have access to a wider range of facilities, both “grand” and functional, as well as new meeting technology, which we will put to good use for a wider range of events and formats to reflect the changing needs of members and stakeholders.
We plan to send you the programme for our first three months in Birdcage Walk well before the summer break. There will be a few practical changes to the way we plan for and organise events including, for example, deadlines for RSVPs. More details on this nearer the time. We shall very much look forward to welcoming you to our new premises and taking advantage of the new opportunities for us all.
Members will have read about the FCDO Development Minister’s appearance before the International Development Select Committee on Wednesday in which she spoke about the cuts to the ODA budget and the implications for the way the FCDO pursues its international development objectives in the future: “[for] countries developing, we need to be an investor and not just a donor. It’s about partnership and not paternalism.”
Although, as Select Committee Chair Sarah Champion MP noted, the Minister did not (in advance of the Spending Review announcements) set out in detail which programmes will be affected, there were some indications where the Government’s priorities lie. The Minister said that the UK would in future offer “expertise” rather than cash - in education, health, tech and other sectors to help developing countries improve their own systems. She also said that the UK needed to “sharpen our focus” on health, the climate crisis and humanitarian aid in Gaza, Ukraine and Sudan, “which is actually where the public expects us to lead”. With reduced budgets, this would likely come at the expense of programmes in women and girls’ education.
I believe that our task, before and after the imminent Spending Review announcements, is to work with our members and Government stakeholders to ensure that the ongoing programmes do indeed enable the UK to continue to leverage “British expertise” in support of development goals and to make the case more widely as to why that’s in the UK interest.
This week we held a very interesting round table on Continuing Professional Development (CPD) which explored different approaches to CPD frameworks and training educators in an international context. The event highlighted best practices for delivering CPD for international educators, providing an opportunity for our members to learn from market leaders. Many thanks to our speakers, Vanessa Komiliades, Head of Professional Development at British Council, Dionne Ross, Associate Head of School for International Initial Teacher Training at University of Sunderland, and Joe Bell, Client Manager – Skills Development at City & Guilds for their valuable insights.
We are looking forward to our usual heavy involvement the Education World Forum. We are hosting a number of roundtables: more details on our website, here. There is still space at the following events: “Education Roundtable with the Ministry of Higher Education, Malaysia” on Tuesday 20 May and “Education Roundtable with the Ministry of Tertiary Education, Science and Research, Mauritius” on Wednesday 21 May. Please get in touch with Amalie at ac@britishexpertise.org if you are interested in joining. Attendance will be limited to one person per company.
Also next week on Monday 19 May we are hosting “Investment Opportunities in Zanzibar: Meet the Zanzibar Investment Promotion Authority.” We look forward to hearing our panel discuss opportunities for UK businesses in Zanzibar. Speakers include Saleh Saad Mohammed, Director at Zanzibar Investment Promotion Authority (ZIPA), Andrew Mahiga, Country Director at Department for Business and Trade at the British High Commission in Dar-es-Salaam, Hilu Bura from Mwananchi Engineering and Contracting Company Limited (MECCO Ltd), and Jonathan Turner, Director at NLA International.
Finally, on Thursday 22 May, we look forward our next Climate Change Networking Evening with Mark Harvey, Founder and CEO of Resurgence. Alongside Mark’s keynote, there will be a special Screening of the first episode of AZEEMA: UNDAUNTED, a powerful and urgent film series that follows five displaced Sudanese weather forecasters and community leaders as they race against time to create a life-saving early warning system for 50 million people in Sudan.
Looking further ahead, I’m glad to say we now have a date for our next London roadshow with ADB during their visit to the UK: Monday 14 July. Please do save the date and let Sasha if you are interested in speaking in one of the sessions. ADB held its Annual Meeting last week in Milan. In his opening address, President Masato Kanda emphasised the Bank’s commitment to tackling climate change through transformative investments and resilience-building initiatives. The Bank is scaling up efforts to protect vulnerable communities from rising sea levels, extreme weather and environmental degradation through strengthening infrastructure, restoring ecosystems and developing financial products tailored to climate adaptation. ADB is also investing in sustainable energy solutions, including a $10 billion commitment to the ASEAN Power Grid, which will modernize and interconnect energy systems across the region. At the same time, ADB is expanding financial capacity, increasing private sector financing and fostering regional cooperation to drive climate resilience and sustainable development across Asia and the Pacific. So plenty to talk about in July.And plenty on next week.
Meanwhile, warm wishes for the weekend…
David Landsman
Executive Chairman
British Expertise International
Recordings of recent past events:
Key events coming up include the following:
- 14th May 2025 12:00 – 14:30 BST: Continuing Professional Development (CPD) - Join us for an in-person panel event on Continuing Professional Development (CPD), with speakers from the British Council, City & Guilds Institute and the University of Sunderland. The in-person panel will explore different approaches to CPD frameworks and training educators in an international context.
- 19th May 2025 10:30 – 14:30 BST: Investment Opportunities in Zanzibar: Meet the Zanzibar Investment Promotion Authority - This in-person event will provide a platform for the Zanzibar Investment Promotion Authority (ZIPA) and a range of Tanzania/Zanzibar-based investors to meet with key organisations in the UK, showcase opportunities across energy, infrastructure and the Blue Economy in Zanzibar, and facilitate partnership discussions with UK private sector organisations.
- 22nd May 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 Mark Harvey, Founder and CEO of Resurgence – a global social enterprise that supports urban climate risk reduction and resilience. Mark is currently leading DARAJA, an award-winning weather, climate and early warning services initiative.
- 29th May 2025 10:00 – 11:30 BST: Deep-Dive on Infrastructure Opportunities in Kazakhstan - As the ninth-largest country in the world, Kazakhstan boasts a vast and diverse landscape requiring extensive infrastructure development, including energy, transport, water, and digital systems. Speakers from DBT Kazakhstan, UKEF and the AIFC will discuss Kazakhstan's strategic infrastructure priorities and provide their perspectives on financing options and practical tools designed to assist UK businesses.
- 5th June 2025 10:30 – 11:30 BST: Intersection of Climate Change and Social Security - Join us online for a webinar on the “Intersection of Climate Change and Social Security”. Our speakers from Development Pathways and Cowater International will examine the critical role of social security systems in addressing climate change vulnerabilities.
- 10th June 2025 09:00 – 10:30 BST: Public-Private Partnerships in the Philippines - The PPP Center, Philippines will provide an overview of the new Public-Private Partnership (PPP) legal framework, bring essential insights on best practice in engaging on PPP projects in the Philippines, and showcase some of the specific opportunities that would be a good fit for UK organisations.
- 11th June 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.
- 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.
- DATE TBA 2025 16:00 – 19:00 BST: Place-based Skills for Climate Mitigation and Adaptation - Join us for a panel discussion on Place-based Skills for Climate Mitigation and Adaptation, in partnership with the Institution of Mechanical Engineers (IMechE). This in-person panel will explore how localised engineering practices can address the challenges of climate change by creating sustainable, adaptable, and resilient communities. Our panellists will showcase successful examples of place-based skilling for climate mitigation and adaptation, including case studies from the UK and globally.
External Events and Reports:
- 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. For more details on how the 2024 ACEF transpired, you may refer to this link: Home ACEF 2024 - Asia Clean Energy Forum
- 12th & 13th June 2025: International Law Summits: Energy Arbitration & Dispute Resilution in the Middle East and Africa - International Law Summits is hosting the 8th Annual Conference on Energy Arbitration and Dispute Resolution in the Middle East and Africa on 12-13 June. There’s a 10% discount with the code EARLYBIRD2025. Register here.
- 19th - 21st June 2025: Central Asian Expo (CAEx), Tashkent, Uzbekistan - Eco Expo Central Asia will be the region’s largest international platform for dialogue and collaboration on environmental protection and sustainable development. The event will bring together leading experts, environmentalists, entrepreneurs, and innovators from around the world. Key exhibition sections will include: Green energy, Clean-tech and smart environmental solutions, Water-saving technologies, Green transport, Sustainable agriculture, Environmental education, Green finance, Green construction, Eco-tourism, AI and ecology, FMCG sustainability initiatives, Aral Sea and Priaral region ecology, Urban greening and landscaping, Protected natural areas. Further details are available, here.
- 25th - 26th August 2025: World Women Entrepreneurs Forum (WWEF), Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia - The World Women Entrepreneurs Forum (WWEF) emerges in response to this urgent need—to not only celebrate the progress made, but to challenge the systems that limit it. Held in Ulaanbaatar, Mongolia, under the theme Inspire, Impact, Invest, the Forum will serve as a global platform to uplift women entrepreneurs by fostering connection, capacity, and capital. It will bring together leaders, changemakers, investors, and advocates to co-create an ecosystem where womenled businesses thrive and transform economies.
- 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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