BEI Weekly Update - 25th September 2026

Dear Members and Friends,

It’s Ministerial Week at the UN General Assembly in New York and there’s no doubt which meeting - and which press conference - makes the headlines in the British media. But during the General Assembly, Ministerial Week and beyond, there’s a lot else going on from bilaterals that don’t make the front pages but would be harder to arrange otherwise, through to debates on every part of the world and a whole range of global issues, from economic development and climate to conflict resolution. It’s also true that, in an age of geopolitical fragmentation, not one forum, not even the UN, can claim a monopoly of international debate and action. Indeed, the real action will often be elsewhere. But, as many BEI members involved in a wide range of UN projects will have seen at first hand, there’s still plenty of good that multilateral collaboration can do.

The multilateral institutions certainly present practical opportunities for UK organisations, particularly in the shape of the development banks that help translate international priorities into investment and projects on the ground. We are excited to be bringing BEI members closer to two of these institutions in the coming weeks. Next week, on Tuesday 29 September from 0900-1030 BST, we will host the first of two webinars with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) to explore opportunities for public sector projects – click here to register. On 21 October from 09:00-10:30 BST, the second session will look at opportunities with the AIIB for private sector projects; please register here. These are our first events with AIIB, and we are delighted to have established the relationship on which we are already planning to build further.

On 20th October we look forward to co-hosting a roadshow with the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB). We are teaming up with IDB Invest, part of the Inter-American Development Bank Group, alongside FCDO, UKEF and BIST for a full-day event to unlock growth opportunities across the UK, Latin America and the Caribbean, with a particular focus on energy, infrastructure, critical minerals and the digital economy. The event will provide an opportunity to engage directly with IDB Invest's senior leadership and key stakeholders here and across the region. You can find more details on our website here. If you are interested in joining, please email isabelpe@iadb.org.

This week, as part of our FCDO Development Director Series, we were pleased to welcome Anna Wilson, the FCDO Development Director in Tanzania, who shared insights on the current context on the ground and FCDO’s development strategy in Tanzania.

Members may be interested to read a report published this week by our sister organisation, the British Foreign Policy Group, in partnership with ThinkLabour. The report considers the establishment of a new National Resilience Corps (NRC) to strengthen Britain's ability to respond to emergencies and build a more resilient society. The NRC would establish a voluntary civilian organisation bringing together people from across generations to support critical national infrastructure and essential services during crises. Although directed primarily at a UK audience, I suspect that BEI members would be well placed to contribute many of the competences required to establish a successful resilience corps.

While we learn to navigate apparently accelerating geopolitical turbulence, I would like to highlight our upcoming panel event ‘Troubled Waters: The Strait of Hormuz in Focus’ next Tuesday, which will explore the wider regional security picture and the implications for Yemen, maritime security, and Gulf dynamics. The talk is co-hosted with the Middle East Association and will include contributions from The Rt Hon Sir Liam Fox, former Defence Secretary and International Trade Secretary, and Dr Andreas Krieg, Analyst and Senior Lecturer, King’s College London School of Security Studies.

Another reminder of our forthcoming activities in Scotland in early October: BEI will join our sister organisations D Group and British Foreign Policy Group for two days of events reflecting the diverse but often interconnected interests of our respective members and stakeholders from Scotland and around the UK. Whether you’re based North of the Border or just visiting, the team would be very pleased to see you there.

At Strathclyde University’s Technology & Innovation Centre in Glasgow on 6 October in the margins of the IWA World Water Congress, we will host "Financing Water's Journey to Bankability". The panel will explore how policy shapes water investment, what resilient and sustainable solutions look like in cities and why systems-level change is needed. Our speakers will assess where the gaps in asset lifecycle management sit, why value is lost over an asset's life rather than only at the point of investment, and how the capacity to adapt determines whether schemes deliver for finance, engineers, clients and customers. Click here to register.

Next, on 8 October from 09:30-16:15 we will be in Edinburgh as the D Group and BFPG take a look at Scotland’s role in National Security and Resilience from political and geopolitical perspectives, including governance and cooperation, the defence industry and skills, as well as Scotland’s contribution to the Space sector. If you are interested in registering, click here.

As always, wishing you a restful weekend before a doubtless busy weekend ahead,

David Landsman

Executive Chair  

British Expertise International

External Events & Resources:

• Tuesday 29th September 2026 09:00 – 10:30 BST: Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) Business Opportunities Webinars for Public Sector Projects - Join us for an online session with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) exploring business opportunities for public sector projects.
• Tuesday 29th September 2026 14:00 – 16:00 BST: Troubled Waters: The Strait of Hormuz in Focus - Join us for a panel discussion on the Strait of Hormuz and the Bab al-Mandab, looking at the wider regional security picture and the implications for Yemen, maritime security, and Gulf dynamics.
• Tuesday 6th October 2026 08:30 – 10:00 BST: From Point to Pipe: Financing Water's Journey to Bankability - Join us in Glasgow as we host “Resilient Water Systems: Global Perspectives from the UK”, a half-day event with two panel discussions in the margins of the IWA World Water Congress. This panel is the first of the two and will explore what it takes to make water systems investable.
• Tuesday 6th October 2026 10:30 – 12:00 BST: Modelling the Margin: UK Water Availability in a Changing Climate - Join us in Glasgow as we host “Resilient Water Systems: Global Perspectives from the UK”, a half-day event with two panel discussions on the margins of the IWA World Water Congress. This panel is the second of the two and will explore what it takes to make water systems resilient amid the pressures climate change is placing on critical services.
• Wednesday 7th October 2026 14:00 – 17:00 BST: The Power of Social and Emotional Learning: What happens when we get Early Years Education right? - Join us for an in-depth panel discussion focused on embedding Social and Emotional Learning (SEL) in early years education and the wider societal impact this has.
• Thursday 8th October 2026 09:30 – 16:15 BST: Scotland’s role in National Security and Resilience - Join us in Edinburgh as we explore Scotland’s role in National Security and Resilience from political and geopolitical perspectives, covering governance and cooperation, the defence industry and skills, as well as Scotland’s contribution to the Space sector.
• Thursday 8th October 2026 15:30 – 17:00 BST: Dominican Republic - Market Opportunity Overview - Join us for an online market overview focusing on the Dominican Republic, where our speakers will explore the trade and investment opportunity pipeline, support available to UK organisations and practical guidance on doing business in this growing Caribbean market.
• Monday 12th October 2026 15:30 – 17:00 BST: Resilience, Rights, and Reconstruction in Ukraine - BEI are delighted to host Oleksandra Matviichuk, Head of the Center for Civil Liberties, for an event held in collaboration with Insulate Ukraine that examines resilience and reconstruction efforts across the country.
• Tuesday 13th October 2026 14:00 – 15:00 BST: Azerbaijan - Education Deep Dive - Join us for a webinar deep dive into education opportunities in Azerbaijan, in collaboration with the Embassy of Azerbaijan in the United Kingdom.
• Tuesday 20th October 2026 08:00 – 18:00 BST: IDB Roadshow: From the UK to Latin America and the Caribbean: Unlocking Growth Opportunities with IDB Invest - Join IDB Invest, part of the Inter-American Development Bank Group, for a full-day roadshow event to unlock growth opportunities across the UK, Latin America and the Caribbean. The event will provide an opportunity to engage directly with the senior leadership of IDB Invest and key stakeholders from the United Kingdom and Latin America and the Caribbean.
• Wednesday 21st October 2026 09:00 – 10:30 BST: Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) Business Opportunities Webinars for Private Sector Projects - Join us for an online session with the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB) exploring business opportunities for private sector projects.

Event recordings and resources

Event recordings - BEI member access only

• Republic of Korea - Market Opportunity Overview
• Asian Development Bank Procurement Clinic
• Philippines - Market Opportunity Overview
• FCDO Development Director Series: Ukraine
• DFAT: Tender Requirements and Bid Writing

External Events & Resources:

• 29 September 2026 10:00 - 12:00 BST: How can countries turn strong TIMSS delivery into evidence that supports meaningful education improvement? - Exclusively for senior officials from Ministries of Education and governmental education authorities, Pearson Education Services, in collaboration with University College London (UCL) Institute of Education, is hosting a virtual workshop on 29 September 2026. Participation is limited to officials from Ministries of Education and government education authorities.
• 7th October 2026 16:00 - 17:30 CET: BID for the Americas: Increasing Business Opportunities for European Companies in Latin America and the Caribbean - Learn how the IDB supports European companies expanding their business engagement in Latin America and the Caribbean through trade promotion, project financing, public procurement, and investment. (Virtual Webinar)
• 15th October 2026: Ghana Investor Day - Taking place on the margins of AFSIC in London. The event is being organised by the UK-Ghana Chamber of Commerce (UKGCC) in collaboration with the Department for Business, Innovation, Science and Trade (BIST). Join this event to explore high-growth sectors, meet project sponsors, and unlock pathways to impactful investment deals.
• 17th - 19th November 2026: Ed Tech Pavilion at Africa Tech Festival in Cape Town, South Africa - A curated exhibition floor inside Africa's largest tech event - 13,500+ decision-makers, 650+ policymakers, 250 investors. Stands, pitch slots, and pre-qualified buyer meetings for education and skills companies entering African markets. Packages close early September. Contact: ernest@edtechexchange.africa or Complete the expression of interest form.
• 19th November 2026: Jordan–European Union Investment Conference at the King Hussein Bin Talal Convention Centre, Dead Sea, Jordan - The conference will bring together senior government representatives, investors and business leaders to explore investment opportunities in Jordan and strengthen cooperation across a number of key sectors.

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