Senedd Cymru | Welsh Parliament
Pwyllgor Diwylliant, Cyfathrebu, y Gymraeg, Chwaraeon, a Chysylltiadau Rhyngwladol| Culture, Communications, Welsh Language, Sport, and International Relations Committee
Strategaeth Ryngwladol Llywodraeth Cymru | Welsh Government's International Strategy
Ymateb gan: GlobalWelsh | Evidence from: GlobalWelsh
1. What is your relationship, if any, to the International Strategy?
GlobalWelsh is a non-profit diaspora organisation focused on connecting Welsh people and businesses globally. We assisted in the forming of the current International Strategy by enlisting the view and ideas of some of our most successful diaspora. We have also participated in a contract via Diaspora Action Plan to assist in building a Business Diaspora Network and engage the diaspora to help Welsh businesses grow internationally, attract inward investment and mentor business leaders to internationalise their businesses.
We would be happy to assist in the formulation of the new strategy and enlist the input, advice and support from some of our most internationally successful diaspora community members.
2. What are your views on the Welsh Government’s International Strategy – what’s worked well and any areas for improvement?
It’s difficult to identify areas that have worked well especially since there is a distinct lack of metrics by which to measure success.
There are critical areas for improvement:
· Diaspora engagement for business support: How to optimise the willingness of the in-market Welsh diaspora to assist businesses to make better, more informed decisions on which markets to enter, reduce risks and costs in entering a new market and support trade missions.
· Selling Wales internationally: significant improvements need to be made to the pitches being delivered by the sector focused teams in the Inward Investment teams to compete internationally and ‘pitch Wales’ as a real potential inward investment destination for businesses overseas. In my direct experience the pitches rate 4/10, hence huge scope for improvement.
· Clear interface for inward investment: When organisations like GlobalWelsh identify an inward investment opportunity it isn’t clear which public sector organisation to take the opportunity to - Welsh Government, City Deals, Local authorities. The interface and our ability to Sell Wales are the major barriers to attracting inward investment. You only get one chance to make a first impression and this needs improving.
· Focus on diaspora entrepreneurship: we recently uncovered almost 500 diaspora entrepreneurs, 25% of which want to and are ready to invest in Wales in the next 12 months. We need a clear channel to enable this to happen else these opportunities are lost to other countries (including England).
We encounter a lot of diaspora entrepreneurs that want to relocate or create jobs in Wales but these inward investment opportunities aren’t identified as a separate target group that require a different approach.
3. What are your views on the Welsh Government’s priority international relationships for 2022-25?
Engaging with Wales 3-4 million diaspora should be the priority. Creating an international identity and profile for Wales should be key.
We have millions of advocates, investors, entrepreneurs, successful people that we need to leverage to achieve this. These are the key and most important relationships that can support internationalisation is practical, meaningful ways - on the ground, day to day.
These activities compliment the usual trade missions and embassy related support.
If Wales is to grow its economy indigenous businesses they will need to increase their revenues in international markets.
This starts with ambition and a clear understanding of which markets are the easiest, lowest cost and lowest risk to enter. Our GlobalWelsh can play a role in providing market intelligence and assist in market entry via our global network and global location hubs.
From our recent research we know that our diaspora are very engaged, emotionally connected and ready to support.
See ‘Brain Drain to Brain Gain’ report: https://campaigns.four.agency/globalwelshbraindrain-0-0?hs_preview=buEEUTgM-190666216676
4. What are your views on the availability of information on the Welsh Government’s international activities and delivery of the strategy?
In our recent ‘Brain Drain to Brain Gain’ research of the Welsh diaspora only 9% of the 1,709 survey respondents had heard of the Welsh Government's International Strategy.
The strategy is not being effectively communicated and therefore its impact is severely limited.
GlobalWelsh should be commissioned to communicate any future International Strategy to our diaspora and encourage them to amplify to their networks. We have thousands of highly engaged members in 70+ countries.
5. In your view, what information on the Welsh Government’s international activities should be in the public domain?
The key priorities and goals of the strategy, sectors, markets, partnerships and associated milestones should be communicated. An event schedule should also be readily available and proactively communicated to our diaspora so that they can participate and disseminate.
As mentioned, a clear global identity (including Wales’ strengths & opportunities) for Wales and the International Strategy would need to be clearly communicated to diaspora to establish buy in and advocacy.
Suggest encouraging diaspora engagement on the development of the strategy. Perhaps a small advisory board
6. What are your views on how the Welsh Government’s international activity is resourced?
The International Strategy should be a public / private sector activity, it is the most efficient method of delivery. Outcomes and success metrics should also form part of any future strategy.
Engaging internationally should be the most important economic policy Wales has and diaspora provide the key to unlocking its success. Through their knowledge, networks, access to capital, market intelligence the opportunities are stark and transformational.
GlobalWelsh is ideally placed to play a significant role in building, communicating the delivering the outcomes via its global network, online community platform, Connect and its location hubs.
7. What priorities and priority relationships would you like to see included in the Welsh Government’s approach to international relations beyond 2025?
Less emphasis on working through public sector bureaucracies and a greater emphasis on building international business networks and utilising our Welsh diaspora ambassadors.
GlobalWelsh has piloted the creation of a Connector Network to promote and facilitate international trade and inward investment. A full report on this pilot project is available on request. This approach has also been successfully piloted on a more regional basis in Carmarthenshire, Ceredigion and Blaenau Gwent.
8. Are there any other matters you would like to draw to the Committee’s attention regarding the Welsh Government’s international relations?
There needs to be more effective communication of the strategy, 9% awareness is far too low. Targets should form part of the strategy.
GlobalWelsh has developed a diaspora community outreach process that could be adopted to better communicate the new international strategy and significantly increase awareness and engagement.