Month: February 2018

Minister of State for Europe and the Americas Sir Alan Duncan met Russian Ambassador to the UK, Alexander Yakovenko, at the Foreign and Commonwealth Office today (27 February) to stress UK concern at the current situation in Syria, particularly the crisis in Eastern Ghouta and the need for a ceasefire as stipulated in Resolution 2401 passed by the UN Security Council last weekend.

Minister Duncan welcomed the fact that all UN Security Council members, including Russia, had voted in favour of a ceasefire and underlined Russia’s obligations to adhere to its commitments to ensure that UNSCR 2401 was implemented in full. Minister Duncan reiterated the UK Government’s deep concern about reports of continued attacks by pro-regime forces in Eastern Ghouta, where an estimated 400,000 people have been under siege since 2013, including reports of chemical weapons use.

Minister Duncan urged Russia to use its influence to ensure the Syrian regime adhered to the ceasefire in order to allow rapid, unimpeded and sustained humanitarian access and non-conditional medical evacuations which are urgently needed across Syria, but particularly Eastern Ghouta. Only one inter-agency convoy has accessed Eastern Ghouta since November, reaching just 2.6% of people in need. Humanitarian pauses of limited duration are no substitute for a sustained ceasefire.

Minister Duncan underlined that the violence in Syria reinforces the urgency of achieving a political solution, as called for by the UN Security Council, and urged Russia to work with the international community to achieve this.

Further information

• Follow Sir Alan Duncan on Twitter @AlanDuncanMP

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Shalini Khemka is the Founder, Chief Executive Officer and Board Director of E2Exchange (E2E), which champions and connects entrepreneurs, creates communities, invests equity capital and recruits non-executive directors for SMEs. Shalini’s background is in financial services, with a specialism in banking. In previous executive roles, Shalini co-founded the world’s first online ‘bank to bank’ trade finance company, after which she served as an Investment Director at LDC, the private equity arm of Lloyds Banking Group.

Shalini also brings extensive advisory experience to UK Export Finance (UKEF), having previously served on the Advisory Board of the Centre for Entrepreneurs and the Development Board of the Royal Philharmonic Orchestra. Currently, she is a fellow of Burton & South Derbyshire College, and a member of both the Mayor of London’s Business Advisory Board and the Advisory Committee of the Commonwealth Entrepreneurs.

As a member of UKEF’s Board, Shalini will support the Chief Executive and Ministers in developing UKEF’s strategy and overseeing its operations by providing advice, challenge and assurance.

New appointees to the Export Guarantees Advisory Council

John Morrison is the founding Executive Director of The Institute for Human Rights and Business. He holds over two decades of business and human rights advisory experience, including roles with the United Nations, UK government’s Foreign and Commonwealth Office, General Electric and the governments of Denmark, Sweden, Finland, Norway and Switzerland.

Dr Roseline Wanjiru is a Senior Lecturer at Newcastle Business School, with interdisciplinary research interests in economic development, trade and industrial policy, foreign direct investment and innovation strategies. She brings over 20 years’ experience in the sector, including time spent in the University of Leeds, University of Huddersfield and presently in Northumbria University.

As members of the Export Guarantees Advisory Council, John and Roseline advise the Secretary of State for International Trade on UK Export Finance operations, including environmental, social and human rights risks, as well as sustainable lending, compliance and transparency considerations.

Baroness Fairhead, Minister of State for Trade and Exports, said:

As an international economic department, we want to make sure that UK exporters benefit from world-leading export credit agency support. The UKEF Board and Export Guarantees Advisory Council play a vital role in our efforts to achieve our ambitions for UK trade, and will be further strengthened with these appointments.

On joining the Board, Shalini Khemka remarked:

I’m excited to be joining the Board of UK Export Finance, a truly world-leading export credit agency. Thanks to UKEF’s support, companies across the UK are realising their export potential in the global marketplace. I look forward to playing a role in this success, supporting the Government in realising its ambitions for UK trade.

John Morrison, Executive Director of the Institute for Human Rights and Business, said:

The work of the Export Guarantees Advisory Council ensures UK Export Finance remains at the forefront of ethical and sustainable business practices. I’m very pleased to be using my experience in business and human rights to support the government’s trade objectives.

Dr Roseline Wanjiru, Senior Lecturer and Programme Leader for Business with International Management and Business with Economics, Northumbria University, said:

The government has an ambitious trade agenda, and the Export Guarantees Advisory Council plays a vital role providing policy advice to ministers as they look to realise this agenda. I look forward to playing a part in ensuring best practice in trade finance support for the UK’s exporters.

Louis Taylor, CEO of UK Export Finance, said:

Shalini, Roseline and John each bring over twenty years’ experience and a wealth of specialist knowledge as leaders in their respective fields. I’m delighted to welcome them to their new roles, and very much look forward to working with them as we continue to enhance and expand our support for the UK’s exporting community.

Background

1. UK Export Finance is the UK’s export credit agency and a government department, working alongside the Department for International Trade as an integral part of its strategy and operations.

2. It exists to ensure that no viable UK export should fail for want of finance or insurance from the private market. It provides finance and insurance to help exporters win, fulfil and ensure they get paid for export contracts.

3. Sectors in which UKEF has supported exports include: aerospace, construction, oil and gas, mining and metals, petrochemicals, telecommunications, and transport.

4. UKEF has a regional network of 24 export finance managers supporting export businesses.

5. Find the [latest information on UKEF’s country cover positions]https://www.gov.uk/guidance/country-cover-policy-and-indicators).

6. The Export Guarantees Advisory Council is an advisory non-departmental public body, sponsored by UK Export Finance. Its function is to advise the Secretary of State for International Trade on UK Export Finance’s operations.

7. UKEF supports exporters with a range of products that include:

• Bond insurance policy
• Bond support scheme
• Buyer & supplier credit financing facility
• Direct lending facility
• Export insurance policy
• Export refinancing facility
• Export working capital scheme
• Letter of credit guarantee scheme