Learn more about Government-backed trade missions at this week's Chamber expo
Looking to source from new countries but don’t know where to start? Discover how you can benefit from HM Government backed trade missions led by the International Trade Centre at this week’s Greater Birmingham Business Expo.
Exploring market opportunities in new countries allows United Kingdom (UK) importing businesses to diversify from traditional suppliers, source new products at lower prices, and potentially discover new business ventures in the process – making these businesses more competitive in the UK markets.
The International Trade Centre (ITC), a joint agency of the World Trade Organization and the United Nations, is currently implementing two programmes funded by UK International Development to assist micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in developing and transition economies to become more competitive in global markets – the SheTrades Commonwealth+ Programme and the UK Trade Partnerships (UKTP) Programme.
Trade missions led by ITC offer UK importing companies a chance to engage in business-to-business meetings and company site visits with exporting businesses in various developing countries and sectors.
Over the past 12 months, the Chamber has helped mobilize UK importing companies to participate in trade missions to Pakistan, Rwanda and Kenya led by the SheTrades Commonwealth+ Programme.
Feedback from previous missions show how UK businesses have been able to access new suppliers, making their businesses more competitive.
“Participating in the Pakistan Trade Mission was an incredible opportunity. We are now in the exciting position of being able to introduce new items to our product line each month. This constant influx of fresh offerings is invigorating our business and keeping us at the cutting edge of our industry,” said a UK importer.
Another UK company is pursuing new opportunities with women-led suppliers, following their participation in the Kenya trade mission: “Prior to this trip, we had never looked at Africa for trade. This trip has completely changed all of that. We also picked up some manufacturers and also launched a joint collaboration with another woman entrepreneur. We are now going to be actively looking for other opportunities within the region.”
The Chamber encourages UK importers to consider applying for forthcoming UK trade missions to Sri Lanka, ASEAN (Cambodia and Indonesia) and Pakistan, and a trade mission to the UK being planned for February 2025.
The SheTrades Commonwealth+ Programme aims to foster an enabling business ecosystem by promoting inclusive policy and data and engaging business support organisations, private-sector partners, and women-led businesses in the Commonwealth countries and its key trading partners, including countries in the Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) region.
Since 2019, the UK Trade Partnerships Programme has aimed to boost trade from developing countries to the UK and EU by leveraging UK and EU Economic Partnership Agreements and the UK's Developing Countries Trading Scheme (DCTS).
The DCTS is one of the world's most generous preferential trading schemes, cutting tariffs on thousands of products from 65 eligible developing countries across the world, leading to £770 million per year on reduced import costs, providing potential savings and increased choice to British businesses and consumers.
The UKTP Programme collaborates with government agencies, private sector organisations, small businesses, and others to enhance market access, provide advisory services, and strengthen business support organisations.
Representatives from the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office (FCDO), and ITC will be attending the expo hosted by Greater Birmingham Chambers of Commerce at Edgbaston Stadium on Thursday 3 October.
Greater Birmingham businesses who are interested in finding out more about these programmes are invited to make in-person appointments with members of the ITC team at the Greater Birmingham Business Expo.
To arrange in-person meetings at the GB Business Expo, contact ITC Programme Management Officer Michelle Kristy at kristy@intracen.org, UK FCDO Programme Manager Farzana Juna at farzana.juna@fcdo.gov.uk, and DCTS Policy Adviser Jasmine Dirie at jasmine.dirie@fcdo.gov.uk.
Find out more information about the United Kingdom Trade Partnerships (UKTP) Programme and the SheTrades Commonwealth+ Programme.
Access the UK Government Development Tracker to learn about the international development programmes led by FCDO and other government departments and partners.
