Oct 8, 2026

Joining the Dots | Autumn 2026

Joining the Dots | Autumn 2026

Joining the Dots distils the key lessons from BEI's recent activities.

BEI’s key activities over the past few weeks have covered a range of regions, themes and sectors. What stood out across all these areas?

From the UN General Assembly to engagements with a range of Multilateral Development Banks, multilateralism has been at the forefront of the last few weeks. While multilateral collaboration does plenty of good, as many BEI members involved in a wide range of UN- or World Bank-funded projects have seen first-hand, it has become clear that in an age of geopolitical fragmentation, no single forum can claim a monopoly on international debate and action. Over the past few weeks, by engaging with both Southern-led MDBs and Legacy MDBs, we've reaffirmed that multilateral institutions offer practical opportunities for UK organisations, particularly through development banks that help translate international priorities into investment and projects on the ground. That's why BEI is glad to continue engaging with MDBs, which in September and October centred on the Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB), alongside the Asian Development Bank (ADB), and the Inter-American Development Bank, where BEI is a partner at the IDB's upcoming roadshow.

Latin America, the Caribbean, and Southeast Asia feature heavily in BEI's activities. Demand for key services is shifting to these regions, and it is happening at pace. UK organisations boast expertise in many of these areas, including infrastructure, water, energy and education. What makes exporting services unique is that they are often intangible. They involve no physical border crossing or shipping logistics, but they require local adaptation and understanding, which generally involves extensive market intelligence. In emerging markets, opportunity follows financing; while UK organisations are well placed to deliver services, the biggest challenges lie in understanding the markets and which ones have established or potential financing. Through BEI's market opportunity engagements on the third-country collaboration with the Republic of Korea, and on the Dominican Republic, we see the importance of UK Export Finance (UKEF) in creating opportunities for UK service organisations in emerging markets.

Turbulence in the geopolitical landscape and shifts in domestic politics continue to reshape priorities domestically and internationally, making it increasingly important to stay informed and adaptable. Especially for those of us involved in finding opportunities and meeting challenges internationally, we must always think about how interconnected the world is. Our panel with the Middle East Association on the Strait of Hormuz, our regional focus on trade and investment in Jordan and the wider Middle East, and our focus on Reconstruction in Ukraine have highlighted that you simply cannot do trade in isolation from geopolitics. It has also become increasingly clear that the line between domestic and foreign policy is growing thinner, and that understanding the political and economic connections between the domestic and the foreign has never been more important. At BEI, we aspire to take the broader view, help our members navigate these nuances, and, amid it all, turn challenges into opportunity.

A full list of BEI's engagements since Septmeber 2026

Market Opportunity Overview: The Republic of Korea (Third-country collaboration opportunities in Ukraine)

SME Wider Community Engagement with the FCDO SME Advisory Forum

Maritime Security in Ukraine with UK Friends of Ukraine

The Human Architecture of Ukraine’s Recovery with UK Friends of Ukraine

UK-ADB Business Connect: Grids, Growth and Connectivity in Southeast Asia

Roundtable with the Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Economic Affairs, H.E. Muhannad Shehadeh

Water Risk and Finance: Bridging the Gap

Public Affairs: New ways to manage complexity

Asian Infrastructure Investment Bank (AIIB): Opportunities for Public Sector Projects

FCDO Development Director Series: Tanzania

Troubled Waters: The Strait of Hormuz in Focus with the Middle East Association