Astana Expo: A Better Future Through Business

One of the great things about my role is that I get a chance to encourage the best of British capability and innovation to shine on the world stage.

I am delighted to have that opportunity again.

Last week, UKTI launched a competition to find an exciting and innovative design for the UK pavilion at the 2017 Expo in Astana, Kazakhstan.

UK Pavilions at past Expos have been incredibly well received. The UK Pavilion at the Shanghai World Expo in 2010 was Thomas Heatherwick’s Seed Cathedral; Wolfgang Buttress, BDP and Stageone designed the pollinator-inspired Hive at the Milan World Expo last year. Both won gold medals for architecture and landscape. The precedent has been set and the expectations are now high. I can’t wait to see what represents the UK in Astana.

The Astana Expo is an international specialised exposition under the theme “Future Energy”. There are three sub-themes: Reducing Carbon Emissions; Living Energy Efficiency, which is about doing what we are doing now but using less energy; and Energy for All, which centres on increasing access to reliable and low-cost energy.

Two million people are expected to attend the Astana Expo, including senior decision-makers in the world of energy and renewables. UK businesses attending will be rubbing shoulders with counterparts from 77 states and 14 international organisations. It will be a truly global event.

UKTI will be working across government to co-ordinate an ambitious business programme, which will showcase UK capability across the three “Future Energy” themes. We also want to underline the UK’s commitment to building collaborative and long-term partnerships in Kazakhstan and the wider region.

The possibilities in Kazakhstan are far reaching and diverse. Oil and gas opportunities are most prominent and attractive, especially for those UK companies with expertise in the North Sea. Education is another burgeoning sector where cooperation is possible. STEM subjects in Kazakh schools are taught in English and there is an aim for 20% of the country to speak English by 2020.

There have already been some great stories of British expertise providing a positive contribution to the country. Since the capital moved from Almaty to Astana, an intense building programme has taken place, with British architects Fosters+Partners designing the Palace of Peace and Reconciliation and the Khan Shatyr Entertainment Centre.

The opportunities are definitely out there for British companies and the Expo will be a fantastic springboard to grab hold of them with both hands. But you don’t have to wait until next year; there are almost 20 live export opportunities for UK companies in Kazakhstan right now on exportingisgreat.gov.uk.

On a final note, it is worth remembering that as well as the huge business opportunities at the Astana Expo, there is also a wider social opportunity to appreciate. The whole world is coming together in Astana to help secure a better and more sustainable world for future generations. I think it’s wonderful and appropriate that over half of expected visitors to the Expo will be bringing their children. In Astana, the UK will have a chance to demonstrate just how much business can be a force for good in every society across the world. I am confident that UK companies will be at the forefront of this ambition.