On 5^th October, British Prime Minister, Boris Johnson MP, appointed Lord Bates as the new Trade Envoy to Ethiopia.

Lord Bates said this of his important new role:

“It is a great honour to have been appointed as the Prime Minister’s Trade Envoy to one of the fastest-growing economies in the world – Ethiopia”

 “I very much look forward to meeting those responsible for the success of trade and investment between the UK and Ethiopia and listening to their views on how we can expand this in the future for the mutual benefit of Ethiopia and the UK. I look forward to visiting Ethiopia as soon as possible within the current guidelines and restrictions.”

Trade Envoys are British Parliamentarians appointed by the British Prime Minister to develop the bilateral trade and investment relationship with emerging countries with substantial trade and investment potential. Lord Bates is a Conservative member of the House of Lords.

He was previously Minister of State at the Department for International Development between October 2016 and July 2019 and a Minister of State at the Home Office from May 2015 until March 2016.