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Trade Envoy Programme Relaunched (October, 2020)

The Prime Minister relaunched his Trade Envoy programme this week, making fifteen new appointments.

The Government’s Trade Envoy programme first introduced in 2012, are appointees made by the Prime Minister to engage with one or more emerging markets where substantial trade and investment opportunities have been identified by UK government.

They support the drive for economic growth by building on the UK’s existing relations with these markets and maximising bilateral trade, thereby generating real and long term benefits for the UK.

These new appointments will extend the total number of Trade Envoys to 31 parliamentarians covering 69 markets.

New appointees include Theo Clarke MP as Trade Envoy for Kenya, Lord Austin of Dudley for Israel and Lord Davies of Abersoch CBE for Sri Lanka.

Rushanara Ali MP remains the Trade Envoy for Bangladesh and Andrew Rosindell MP for Tanzania.

Lord Dolar Popat, one of the long standing and most successful Trade Envoy’s currently serving Uganda and Rwanda, was appointed by Prime Minister Boris Johnson to also represent the Democratic Republic of Congo.

The Democratic Republic of Congo is widely considered to be the richest country in the world regarding natural resources; its untapped deposits of raw minerals are estimated to be worth in excess of U.S. $24 trillion. The DRC has the world’s highest supplies of Cobalt, which is primarily used in lithium-ion batteries for phones and electric cars.

Speaking exclusively to Asian Voice Lord Popat said, “I am very excited about the new appointment and look forward to strengthening bilateral trade with Congo, through supporting British businesses by encouraging investment from all regions of the UK.”

Trade Envoy’s are set to play a key role in supporting the UK’s ambitious trade and investment agenda in global markets post Brexit and Covid-19.