CWEIC had the pleasure of organising a roundtable discussion on "Strengthening Commonwealth – Sri Lanka Partnerships" with representatives of the Ministry of Investment Promotion, the Board of Investment Sri Lanka (BOI Sri Lanka) and the Sri Lankan High Commission in the UK. H.E. High Commissioner Rohitha Bogollagama addressed a wide variety of stakeholders, emphasising Sri Lanka's rapid economic recovery and debt-restructuring efforts with international bodies. He highlighted the favourable investment climate, citing tax incentives, legal framework, talent pool utilization, and BOI facilitation. Bogollagama outlined investment prospects in tourism, higher education (including a proposed digital university), Port City Colombo, IT, AI, and other sectors, leveraging Sri Lanka's strategic Indian Ocean location. At the Roundtable, a video message from Hon. Dilum Amunugama, State Minister of Investment Promotion, highlighted Sri Lanka's favorable investment climate, BOI Investor Facilitation Centre's facilities, and Ready to Invest projects. Deshan J Gonawela presented "Investing in Sri Lanka" on behalf of BOI, while Niro Cooke further elaborated on investment opportunities as CWEIC's Chair for Sri Lanka. Moderated by Lord Marland, participants engaged in an interactive session, sharing experiences and questions. The roundtable underscored the factors that position Sri Lanka as an appealing investment destination, with panellists noting its skilled workforce and adept management of macroeconomic challenges. Discussions also touched on the importance of legal frameworks and renewable energy in shaping investment attractiveness.

Olasupo Shasore, Chair of the Nigeria International Advisory Council (NIAC) and Rosie Glazebrook, CEO of CWEIC, will be hosting the first NIAC of 2024, in the afternoon of 15 April. The NIAC will be followed by a networking reception and dinner, with senior business leaders, and representatives of the Commonwealth community in Lagos. CWEIC will be happy to facilitate tailored meetings for our Strategic Partners with business and government officials based in Lagos.

While in Nigeria, Rosie Glazebrook (CEO of CWEIC) will travel to Abuja. In collaboration with the Nigerian Investment Promotion Commission (NIPC),  CWEIC will host a targeted networking roundtable meeting for our partners who opt to travel to Abuja. This high-level interactive session will offer CWEIC Strategic Partners a chance to directly engage with key decision-makers in the Nigerian government and private sector. This roundtable is scheduled to take place on April 18, 2024. Strategic Partners travelling to Abuja will also benefit from bespoke introductions through CWEIC's collaboration with the NIPC.

CWEIC has been invited to a guided tour of Lagos Free Zone and Strategic Partners are welcome to join. The Special Economic Zone is an acclaimed port-based industrial zone spanning 850 hectares in Lagos. It has attracted over USD 2.5 billion in committed Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) projects thus far. LFZ is under the ownership and promotion of Tolaram and is strategically situated in Lekki, the burgeoning development corridor in Lagos. LFZ aspires to become the premier industrial hub in West Africa, boasting world-class infrastructure and hosting renowned global brands such as BASF, Kellogg’s, Colgate, Arla, Dufil, and Lekki Port, among others, as its current occupants. You can find further information here.

CWEIC has been invited by the Lord Mayor of the City of London to host a Coffee Colloquy at the historic Mansion House. The Lord Mayor’s Coffee Colloquies are a series of in-person events dedicated to fostering connections and addressing significant global challenges, under the Lord Mayor’s theme 'Connect to Prosper'. This Colloquy, ‘The Commonwealth Opportunity’, is scheduled for the morning of May 9, 2024 and is open to all Strategic Partners. The Colloquy will include key speeches, a dynamic Q&A session and networking opportunities.

CWEIC is supporting the Australia Africa Chamber of Commerce (AACC) with the Australia Africa Business Summit which is organised in partnership with the AfCFTA Secretariat. With a vision to bring Africa to the forefront of the Australian trade and investment focus, this two-day conference will provide a unique opportunity to access key government representatives and private sector leaders with the shared aim of building business between Australia and Africa. CWEIC will facilitate connections to the organisers. Please get in touch for more information.

In this masterclass Prof Joan Lockyer will explore social and systemic impediments to women's capacity to progress. Women entrepreneurs play a critical role in the economic activities of their communities, generating 37% of the world's GDP. However, they continue to face and confront challenges that impact upon their ability to realise their full potential. Prof Joan Lockyer is a Professor of Entrepreneurship & Head of School of Strategy and Leadership at Coventry University. The MBA with a specialised pathway in Global Trade and Investment is a unique offer to employees of CWEIC Strategic Partners. This is a closed bespoke course which builds on the Coventry MBA in developing practice and creating sustainable long-term value. This masterclass will be followed with a short introduction to the CWEIC MBA and will allow for Q&A. By registering for the webinar, you agree for your information and contact details to be shared with The Coventry University Group.

CWEIC MBA Masterclass Taster Session - Riding Tigers and Dragons on Shifting Sands - The new geopolitical conundrum for the Commonwealth. In this masterclass facilitated by Dr Suresh George, he reviews the current state of play around global geopolitics and the conundrum for the shifting geopolitical positions in the Commonwealth. Dr Suresh George is Associate Professor and Curriculum Lead for International Business, Coventry University. The MBA with a specialised pathway in Global Trade and Investment is a unique offer to employees of CWEIC Strategic Partners. This is a closed bespoke course which builds on the Coventry MBA in developing practice and creating sustainable long-term value. This masterclass will be followed with a short introduction to the MBA and will allow for Q&A. Register here: Zoom Webinar Registration

The third Commonwealth Trade and Investment Summit (CTIS) will be hosted in London with participation from Heads of Government, senior Ministers and global business leaders. This invitation-only Business-to-Government Summit will be hosted with participation from across the now 56 Commonwealth member nations.

CWEIC will be hosting the Commonwealth Trade and Investment Forum in Dhaka, Bangladesh from 13-14 September 2023, in partnership with the Government of Bangladesh. The Prime Minister of Bangladesh has confirmed their attendance and will formally open the Forum. Commonwealth Heads of Government and Ministers will be invited to participate and lead delegations to the Forum. The Forum will showcase both Bangladeshi and Commonwealth-wide opportunities to a global audience and provide a platform for business and government leaders to discuss key Commonwealth trade and investment issues.

CWEIC will be leading a delegation of Strategic Partners to the India-Africa Conclave organised by CWEIC Strategic Partners the Confederation of Indian Industries. The event will convene Business and Government leaders from India and Africa to explore potential partnerships. Over the past decade, the Conclave has played a pivotal role in encouraging Indian companies to establish and grow their footprints in Africa. The Conclave provides an opportunity for CWEIC Strategic Partners with interests in either region to network and explore partnerships.

CWEIC’s second Global Advisory Council meeting for the year will be held in June 2023. The meeting is an opportunity for Strategic Partners to meet, network and receive first hand updates local business leaders on the political and economic environment in their respective countries.

CWEIC was delighted to host a roundtable with the Government of the Bahamas on “The Blue Green Economy and Resilience for Small Island States”. The roundtable discussed various ways the government and private sector can come together to achieve greater financing for island states in the transition to the Blue Green Economy. Key topics ranged from insurance, de-risking investments, clean shipping, the role of standards, and the green energy transition.

CWEIC will launch its Cameroon and Gabon hub in Yaoundé on 11th April 2023. The event will be presided the Prime Minister of Cameroon with attendance from senior business leaders as well as CWEIC Strategic Partners. The Government of Cameroon will also arrange a programme of meetings for CWEIC on 11th and 12th April. Bespoke one0to-one meeting programmes with either the Government of Cameroon or the private sector can be arranged for members who travel.

CWEIC welcomes business and government leaders to join its Chair Lord Marland of Odstock and Commonwealth businesses in celebrating the launch of its Singapore Hub at a reception on Monday 3rd April 2023. The Reception will celebrate the launch of CWEIC's hub office in Singapore, bringing together Commonwealth businesses, Government Representatives and Members of the Diplomatic Corps for an evening of networking and festivity.

CWEIC convened its Strategic Partners for a roundtable discussion with Hon Moses Kuria, Cabinet Secretary (Cabinet Minister) for Investments, Trade and Industry during his visit to the United Kingdom. The event was an opportunity for CWEIC Strategic Partners to learn about the new Government’s plans to encourage trade and investment between Kenya and the Commonwealth. Strategic Partners were also provided with an opportunity to provide feedback to the Honorable Minister on the general expectations of investors and partners to do business in the region.

The second Commonwealth Trade and Investment Summit will be hosted on Monday 5^th and Tuesday 6^th December, at the City of London’s Mansion House.  After the success of the virtual meeting in 2021, the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council is delighted to welcome Heads of Government, senior Ministers, and senior business leaders from across the Commonwealth in-person for two days of sessions, meetings, and networking.

Held alongside the opening of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, a business and government conference to promote trade and investment across the Commonwealth, utilising the convening power of the Commonwealth Games. We will be in touch shortly to discuss how CWEIC members may want to be involved.

A virtual roundtable connecting companies from Canada and the West Midlands region of the UK, in advance of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, and celebrating the Queen’s Baton Relay arriving in Canada.

CWEIC Strategic Partners were delighted to be invited to a reception at 10 Downing Street to mark the 2022 Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting & celebrate the UK’s business, trade and investment relationships across the Commonwealth with UK Prime Minister Boris Johnson.

A virtual roundtable connecting companies from Antigua & Barbuda and the West Midlands region of the UK, in advance of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, and celebrating the Queen’s Baton Relay arriving in Antigua & Barbuda.

This webinar in partnership with the African Hydrogen Partnership (AHP) will convene an expert panel to discuss the challenges, the investment opportunities and how the Commonwealth can be used as a platform to co-ordinate and share knowledge and expertise to advance the hydrogen revolution. This webinar targets anyone who is curious about the global impact of green hydrogen. The Panel discussion will be followed by a live Q&A session.

This webinar aims to provide Commonwealth Central Banks and Financial Institutions with an opportunity to share best practices and exchange knowledge on the future of digital currencies, and explore the opportunities and challenges that could arise from adoption of CBDCs across the varied and diverse economies of the 54 Commonwealth member states. The session will also inform the discussions ahead of the Commonwealth Business Forum during the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) due to be held in Kigali, Rwanda from 21-23 June 2022.

A hybrid roundtable connecting companies from Australia and the West Midlands region of the UK, in advance of the Commonwealth Games in Birmingham, and celebrating the Queen’s Baton Relay arriving in Australia.

A CWEIC led delegation of Commonwealth Businesses to the Dubai Expo calling on the UK and other Commonwealth Pavilions, as well as an opportunity to network with regional businesses.

In advance of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, and celebrating The Queen’s Baton Relay arriving in Malaysia, the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council and the UK’s Department for International Trade will convene business leaders for a high-level virtual dialogue on increasing trade and investment between Malaysia and the UK - focussing on the West Midlands region, where the Games will be hosted. The virtual Roundtable will gather senior business leaders from Malaysia, the West Midlands and UK Government to discuss the future of key sectors to drive benefit to both nations.

In advance of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, and celebrating The Queen’s Baton Relay arriving in Singapore, the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council and the UK’s Department for International Trade will convene business leaders for a high-level virtual dialogue on increasing trade and investment between Singapore and the UK - focussing on the West Midlands region, where the Games will be hosted. The virtual Roundtable will gather senior business leaders from Singapore– one of the Commonwealth’s most important trading hubs – the West Midlands and UK Government to discuss the future of key sectors to drive benefit to both nations.

In advance of the Birmingham 2022 Commonwealth Games, and celebrating The Queen’s Baton Relay arriving in India, the Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council and the UK’s Department for International Trade will convene business leaders for a high-level virtual dialogue on increasing trade and investment between India and the UK - focussing on the West Midlands region, where the Games will be hosted. The virtual Roundtable will gather senior business leaders from India – the Commonwealth’s largest nation – the West Midlands and UK Government to discuss the future of key sectors to drive benefit to both nations.

CWEIC will be hosting a Commonwealth Reception in partnership with the High Commission of Australia at Commonwealth House, London on the 25th of November. The Reception will celebrate the trade and investment links across the Commonwealth, bringing together Commonwealth businesses, Government Representatives and Members of the Diplomatic Corps for an evening of networking and festivity.

This webinar will seek to explore the practical ways businesses and organisations across the global economy can accelerate their climate action by using trusted standards aligned with robust net zero targets, in order to facilitate wider and faster climate action in this race to a zero-carbon world.

This webinar will look at the new skills challenges sharing perspectives from leaders in academia, corporates looking to recruit and employ, and the ever-changing nature of Entrepreneurship and start-ups.

For the Commonwealth’s 25 Small Island States, the past year has brought dramatic changes, from the loss of tourism income due to the covid pandemic to dramatic cyclones which have caused widespread damage. These challenges have perhaps been under-recognised in global discourse with not enough attention being paid to the unique issues faced by small island states. This virtual Roundtable will bring together High Commissioners, experts and business leaders to look at how we manage the challenges facing the Commonwealth’s small states. The aim is to start building a global discussion and potential solutions to these critical matters in advance of the Commonwealth Business Forum, alongside the Commonwealth Heads of Government Meeting (CHOGM) in Rwanda which has been postponed to 2022 with specific dates still to be announced.

The Government of Antigua and Barbuda will be hosting the “@40 Business Forum” on the occasion of the country’s 40th Anniversary of Independence, in London from 07-10 November 2021. The forum aims to create sustainable and tangible business, trade, and investment opportunities by introducing new opportunities in sectors including property development, financial services, hospitality, information technology, education, tourism, aviation, renewables, and the blue economy

CWEIC is delighted to invite members to the “Bangladesh Investment Summit 2021: Building Sustainable Growth Partnerships” hosted in the presence of the Hon Sheikh Hasina, Prime Minister of Bangladesh on 04 November 2021 (Thursday) from 10:00 -16.30 hrs. The event is jointly organised by the Bangladesh Securities and Exchange Commission (BSEC), Bangladesh Investment Development Authority (BIDA) and Bangladesh High Commission, London. Strategically located between South Asia and South-east Asia, Bangladesh has developed into a significant market player in the Commonwealth with great potential for trade and investment. With a rapid increase in per capita income and growing purchasing power, the country’s GDP has doubled over the past 6 years.

Tourism is central to many economies in the Commonwealth and a growing industry in most. It contributes over 2.5% into the total GDP of the Commonwealth, averaging 6.7% of GDP per country and employs over 30 million people. This webinar will look at the variety of responses taken by Government and the industry across the Commonwealth to keep local tourism alive, and explore how collaboration between business and government and across borders to strengthen the industry. Please find attached a document with further information.

CWEIC is delighted to be virtually hosting the Commonwealth Trade and Investment Summit (CTIS) on 13-14 September 2021. The summit will bring together Government and senior business leaders from across the Commonwealth for a high-level two day virtual discussion.   The in-depth discussions will focus on accessing modern financial services, improving sustainable business practices, overcoming vaccine related challenges and exploring the future of African Trade following the ratification of the AfCFTA agreement. Sessions will investigate how member states can leverage their Commonwealth connections to collaborate and drive the global recovery following the COVID-19 pandemic and set up a platform for sustained economic growth.

Held in Partnership with the Royal Commonwealth Society and the City of the London, the Commonwealth Banquet is a mainstay of the Commonwealth Calendar. Not held in 2020 due to the pandemic 2021’s Banquet is expected to exceed all those that have come before, participation is expected from the Royal Family, Commonwealth Governments and the our most senior business leaders. Invitations are only extended to CWEIC Strategic Partners.

This webinar led by British-South African endurance swimmer and ocean advocate and UN Patron of the Oceans, Lewis Pugh, seeks to highlight the initiative to have 30% of the world’s oceans to become Marine Protected Areas (MPA) by 2030.

This webinar jointly hosted by CWEIC, the Chartered Insurance Institute and the Commonwealth Insurance Forum, is a thought-provoking webinar coinciding with the launch of CII’s publication ‘A Commonwealth Insured’. A distinguished panel of insurance and personal finance leaders from across the world will examine how innovation by the insurance profession has helped to support the Commonwealth’s development priorities – and speculate on some of the emerging opportunities for the decade ahead.

Over the past year, consolidation has been the priority for businesses and governments around the world. They are now starting to look beyond Covid-19. FDI will be key to economic recovery and plays a pivotal role in bolstering local job growth. This webinar will bring together Commonwealth investment promotion agencies to discuss opportunities, innovative methods to attract investments and the road to economic recovery.

In January 2021, the African Continental Free Trade Agreement (AfCFTA) was ratified becoming the largest free trade agreement in the world since the establishment of the World Trade Organisation. Nineteen of the 54 Commonwealth nations are in Africa, and despite the ravages of Covid-19, the continent is set to forge a new economic path. The Agreement seeks to create a single market for goods and services by facilitating free movement of goods, services and investment within the African Continent. This webinar will bring together government and business leaders both from Africa, and from those who trade and invest with the Continent to examine the key opportunities for Commonwealth businesses.

Artificial intelligence is impacting the future of virtually every industry and every human being. It has acted as the main driver of emerging technologies like big data, robotics and IoT, and it will continue to act as a technological innovator for the foreseeable future. This is more relevant than ever in a post Covid world. This webinar will bring together industry experts to discuss how Commonwealth businesses and regulators can keep ahead of developments and benefit from this era of rapid technological innovation.

The final of the years Global Advisory Board Meetings is held in Partnership with the City of London, and in the City. The Meeting directly proceeds the Commonwealth Banquet held at the Guildhall and will focus on creating new partnerships for the post-covid recovery.

Held in Partnership with the Royal Commonwealth Society and the City of the London, the Commonwealth Banquet is a mainstay of the Commonwealth Calendar. Not held in 2020 due to the pandemic 2021’s Banquet is expected to exceed all those that have come before, participation is expected from the Royal Family, Commonwealth Governments and the our most senior business leaders. Invitations are only extended to CWEIC Strategic Partners.