United Kingdom (UK) Minister for the Indo-Pacific Catherine West is visiting Brunei Darussalam from today until March 14 for the 4th UK-Brunei Strategic Dialogue.
The visit symbolises the UK’s commitment to security across the region and the deep ties between two Commonwealth partners who are united in their commitment to secure and resilient growth.
According to the British High Commission in Brunei Darussalam, the visit also comes three months after the UK joined the Comprehensive and Progressive Agreement for Trans-Pacific Partnership (CPTPP), which resulted in the first UK-Brunei free trade deal.
During her three-day visit, the minister will meet Minister of Foreign Affairs II Dato Seri Setia Awang Haji Erywan bin Pehin Datu Pekerma Jaya Haji Mohd Yusof to discuss growing the relationship, and how Brunei can play a key role in supporting the UK government’s key missions of economic growth, security and net zero.
The minister will also visit the UK’s permanent military base in Brunei.
“This is my first official visit to Brunei, one of the UK’s closest partners in the Indo-Pacific.
Our bilateral links are closer than ever, with the recent establishment of a free trade deal and a renewed commitment from Brunei to host our permanent military base in Brunei for the next five years.
“It’s a symbol of the importance of the UK-Brunei relationship to economic growth and to regional security,” said Catherine West.
She described that Brunei “is also a country that shows great commitment to sustainability and nature conservation, retaining over 70 per cent of its primacy forest cover, supporting extraordinary biodiversity and committing to net zero. Our free trade deal will support our joint efforts in the green transition”.
Catherine West will also meet Minister at the Prime Minister’s Office and Minister of Finance and Economy II Dato Seri Setia Dr Awang Haji Mohd Amin Liew bin Abdullah to explore furthering trade and investment ties, as well as local women leaders to support inclusion and innovation, days after International Women’s Day, with this year’s theme ‘Accelerate Action’. – James Kon
