Planning Director Mike Fox was delighted to take part in a virtual visit by HM Trade Commissioner for Africa, Emma Wade-Smith.
Hosted by the Department for International Trade, the virtual roundtable event involved six representatives from companies in the infrastructure and construction sector. Mike was very pleased to be one of just two representing the South West region. The main subject for discussion was ‘infrastructure and urban development’.
The event, which took place on 23rd February, is part of suite of virtual visits by Emma to areas across the UK where she is hearing first-hand about the experience of doing business in Africa. The visits involve leaders from an array of sectors who have been invited to share their export aspirations and discuss support needed.
According to the Department for International Trade, trade between the UK and Africa stood at more than £36 billion as of late January*. DIT sees particular opportunities in the infrastructure sector in Africa, as a focal point for economic recovery and regeneration post-COVID. The home of the mega-cities of the future, there will be a significant need for UK expertise in urban planning, design and regeneration.
Nash Partnership’s current international work in Africa includes masterplanning a world class ‘renewable energy city’ across two sites of around 2,000 ha in Jigawa (Nigeria). This will enable renewable energy generation companies to produce a total of 1GW of on-grid electricity. We are also working with Bristol Link with Beira (BLB) on a proposal for the preparation of a city plan for Pemba (Mozambique), which will govern the management of the city for the next five to ten years, with an overall time horizon of up to 2050.
Mike Fox spent over two years working as an Urban Regional Planning Advisor to the Government of the Republic of Zambia from 2012-2014. With capacity building central to the role, areas of work included preparing development plans, design manuals and guidelines, advice on streamlining planning processes and building staff capacity.
Mike is a Member of the Royal Town Planning Institute (UK) and is a past member of the Zambian Institute of Planners.