Southern Africa: Trading Relationships

Lord St John of Bletso Excerpts

Tuesday 18th July 2017 Lords Chamber

Asked by

[Lord St John of Bletso]

To ask Her Majesty’s Government what steps they are taking to promote trading relationships with Southern African countries.

[Baroness Sugg (Con)]

My Lords, the Department for International Trade has a dedicated trade team working across southern Africa to provide support to British firms looking to do business in the region, building on total trade with the UK of £12 billion in 2015. The department works with partners across the region to strengthen our trading relationships. Indeed, my noble friend Lord Price, the Minister of State for Trade Policy, is travelling to South Africa and Namibia this week for discussions with Ministers.

[Lord St John of Bletso (CB)]

My Lords, I am grateful to the noble Baroness for her reply, and I warmly welcome her to her Front-Bench position as a Minister. With her long interest in international affairs, she is certainly well qualified for the role. Given the creation last year of the African free trade zone, with 26 countries representing in excess of 620 million people, can the Minister elaborate on the steps being taken to consolidate and develop the Commonwealth network in southern Africa? To what degree are Her Majesty’s Government synchronising trade with aid?