DUP’s Donaldson appointed UK trade envoy to Cameroon to ‘boost British business’
DUP leader Sir Jeffrey Donaldson has been handed the task of selling the UK’s trade to Cameroon.
On Monday, Boris Johnson announced a raft of new appointments.
Lagan Valley MP Sir Jeffrey takes on the Cameroon brief in addition to his psoition as trade envoy to Egypt.
Former Labour MP Baroness Hoey from Co Down and the Belfast-born Bournemouth West MP Conor Burns have been appointed envoys for Ghana and Canada respectively.
Former cricket star Lord Botham has been appointed for Australia.
Prime Minister Boris Johnson announced 10 new appointments on Monday to “boost British business”.
The envoys, the Government said, will use their skills, experience and market knowledge to help UK businesses find new export and investment opportunities and promote trade in their allocated market.
Trade envoys already work in more than 60 countries, drawn from a cross-section of parties.
They are tasked with building on the UK’s strong relations with key trading countries and work with the Department for International Trade’s global network to break down barriers to trade.
International Trade Secretary, Liz Truss, said: “Our trade envoys play a key role in delivering our ambitious global trade agenda, and I am delighted the Prime Minister has appointed 10 trade envoys who will boost opportunities for British businesses in some of the world’s fastest growing markets.
“By boosting exports, promoting inward investment and creating high-value, high-paying jobs, our envoys will help us build back better from Covid-19, ensuring every part of the UK benefits from our trade strategy.”
Trade Envoys are parliamentarians appointed by the Prime Minister, drawn from both Houses and across the political spectrum. The roles are unpaid and voluntary. These new appointments bring the total number of Trade Envoys who help support the UK’s trade and investment agenda to 36, covering 76 different countries.
They work alongside the joint No.10-DIT Office for Investment to encourage greater inward investment across the UK.
In 2020/21, trade envoys supported over £16billion of UK exports as part of DIT’s export promotion activity, the Government said.
Government-led research estimates exports support 6.5million jobs across the UK, 74% of which are outside London.
The full list of new appointments
- Lord Botham appointed to Australia
- Baroness Hoey appointed to Ghana
- Stephen Timms MP appointed to Switzerland and Liechtenstein
- David Mundell MP appointed to New Zealand
- Mark Eastwood MP appointed to Pakistan
- Marco Longhi MP appointed to Brazil
- Conor Burns MP appointed to Canada
- Lord Walney [John Woodcock] appointed to Tanzania
- Felicity Buchan MP appointed to Iceland and Norway
- Sir Jeffrey Donaldson MP appointed to Cameroon, in addition to his role as Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to Egypt.
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