LONDON: With Britain on the brink of triggering its EU exit talks, the country and its historic trading partners in the Commonwealth are sizing up an opportunity to boost business.
Members in the 52-state organization, which was born out of the British Empire, feel the time is right to exploit their common bonds of language and law to a much greater degree.
Britain is gearing up to strike its own trade deals outside of the European single market and is looking to its former global network, in what skeptical London officials quoted in UK newspapers are calling “Empire 2.0.”
The Commonwealth can help strengthen the prosperity and security of the UK and other members “as we look to create a truly global Britain,” Prime Minister Theresa May said in a statement to mark Commonwealth Day on Monday.
Ahead of the celebrations, the body held its first trade ministers’ meeting since 2005.
“A number of countries have come to us as a result of their concern in relation to the impact that Brexit might have on their economic position,” Commonwealth Secretary-General Patricia Scotland said afterwards.
“The challenge that we face globally — the slowdown and the protectionism — is a real one. Therefore, the Commonwealth as a family has an opportunity to exploit... the de facto Commonwealth advantage.”
The trade ministers’ meeting heard how business between Commonwealth members stands at around £600 billion ($730 billion), equivalent to 15 percent of global trade even though member states account for a third of the global population.
The gathering looked at overcoming challenges to trade competitiveness and practical steps to get more commerce flowing.
“I think it is the right time for a new Commonwealth trading bloc,” Sri Lanka’s International Trade Minister Malik Samarawickrama told AFP.
The Commonwealth Enterprise and Investment Council’s (CEIC) Chairman Jonathan Marland said: “All the UK’s trading arrangements are now up for grabs. So what easier and better place to trade than with countries who have shared associations for many years?”
When Britain joined the European Economic Community (EEC) in 1973, it sidelined its historic trading links with its former empire, causing much hurt in some countries.
Though Britain is “pushing at an open door,” with Commonwealth trade, it must “approach it with a degree of humility,” Marland said.
Malta is uniquely placed to read the shifting sands, chairing both the Commonwealth and the EU Council presidency.
“Brexit has had an effect and this is felt very handsomely,” said the Mediterranean island’s Economy Minister Christian Cordona.
“However, it gives also a lot of opportunities that did not exist before,” he said.
The Overseas Development Institute (ODI) think tank, along with Britain’s All-Party Parliamentary Group on Trade Out of Poverty (APPG-TOP), produced a 10-point plan of possible measures to increase Commonwealth business.
Their recommendations included a Commonwealth trademark, promoting green growth through trade and improving trade governance.
But ODI senior research fellow Maximiliano Mendez-Parra said the intra-Commonwealth trade growth should not be overstated since Africa sees China as its key partner.
“Probably there will be an increase in intra-Commonwealth trade, but it will not go back to the trade of 60 or 70 years ago,” he told AFP.
Pauline Schnapper, a professor of contemporary British civilization at the Sorbonne University in Paris, said London was failing to acknowledge how much the world and Britain’s place in it had moved on since it decolonized and joined the EEC.
“Half of Britain’s trade is with the European continent so the idea that that could be replaced by Australia and New Zealand is absurd,” she said.
Commonwealth eyes post-Brexit trade boost
Commonwealth eyes post-Brexit trade boost
Poland expects trade with Saudi Arabia to grow to $10 billion, finance and economy minister tells Arab News
- Andrzej Domanski says his country’s companies are looking for reliable partners like Saudi Arabia
- Highlights opportunities in clean energy, ICT, food security and construction cooperation on Riyadh visit
RIYADH: Saudi Arabia’s pace of transformation, its economic ambition under Vision 2030, and its role as Poland’s biggest Middle Eastern trading partner are driving a new phase in bilateral relations, Andrzej Domanski, Poland’s finance and economy minister, has said.
Speaking to Arab News during a visit to Riyadh on Monday, Domanski discussed how the two nations might expand their trade ties, the sectors where Polish businesses enjoy an edge, and the potential for broadening the bilateral relationship.
“We have better and better economic relations with the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. We will reach $10 billion in our trade,” Domanski said, describing Saudi Arabia as a “reliable partner” at a time when Polish companies are actively seeking diversification and new markets.
His visit comes as Saudi-Polish economic ties deepen beyond a historically oil-focused relationship into a broader partnership spanning energy transition, technology, construction, food security and potentially defense cooperation.
This evolution mirrors Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 diversification drive and Poland’s emergence as one of Europe’s fastest-growing large economies.
Domanski said Riyadh itself offered a powerful visual symbol of Saudi Arabia’s economic momentum.
“I must say that it’s my first visit to Riyadh and I’m really impressed,” he said. “I’m impressed by the pace of development. The thousands of cranes in the city. It is also a proof of how quickly Saudi Arabia is developing.”
Bilateral trade between Saudi Arabia and Poland has expanded rapidly in recent years, driven largely by energy flows. Saudi Arabia is now Poland’s main crude-oil supplier, accounting for roughly 60 percent of Poland’s oil imports.
Trade volumes have risen from about $7 billion in 2022 to around $8.5 billion in 2023, with Domanski predicting the $10 billion mark will soon be reached.
“We are, of course, importing crude oil. But we’d like to together search for new business opportunities for both Saudi and, of course, Polish companies,” he said.
Domanski argued that growth prospects make the country an attractive destination for Saudi investment.
“On our side, we are also doing pretty well. We are the fastest growing large European economy,” he said. “This year we will work in the G20 format. This is because last year we joined the Group of the 20 biggest economies in the world. And we are frankly proud of that.”
Inflation, he added, has fallen sharply. “Inflation went down significantly, 2.5 percent. Very reasonable. A reasonable level. Investment started to pick up,” he said, pitching Poland as a stable European base for Saudi capital.
A recurring theme of Domanski’s visit was the alignment between Poland’s development priorities and Saudi Arabia’s Vision 2030 agenda.
“Our companies, our economy, are fully aligned with the ambitious Vision 2030 that is realized here,” he said.
Energy cooperation remains central, anchored by Saudi Aramco’s stake in the Lotos refinery in Gdansk — the largest Saudi direct investment in Poland — which underpins long-term crude-supply contracts and Poland’s energy-security strategy.
But Domanski stressed that the future lies increasingly in clean energy.
“It’s worth noting that right now Poland is building onshore capabilities, offshore capabilities, solar capabilities. And we are constructing the first Polish nuclear power plant,” he said.
“We want to diversify from coal into nuclear and renewables. And I believe that our Saudi partners could participate in this clean energy transformation of the Polish economy.”
The shift reflects broader cooperation under way between Warsaw and Riyadh on green energy and hydrogen, dovetailing Poland’s decarbonization plans with Saudi Arabia’s push to develop non-oil sectors.
Technology and digital services emerged as one of the most promising areas for expansion, with Poland positioning itself as a provider of high-end IT talent for Saudi Arabia’s digital and AI-driven projects.
“ICT solutions. We have really great companies that provide the best solutions. They are already well recognized in Western European countries. They have their footprint here in Riyadh,” Domanski said.
“Having said that, they still lack scale. So my visit here is also to discuss that kind of business opportunity.”
Polish officials frequently point to the country’s deep pool of programmers and cybersecurity specialists. Warsaw has signaled plans for dozens of Polish firms to establish regional headquarters in Saudi Arabia, particularly in AI, cybersecurity and digital infrastructure.
Domanski underscored Poland’s strengths in specific niches.
“I believe that we are really top class,” he said. “For example, in cybersecurity, we really have companies that are providing the best solutions for smart cities in Western Europe.
“But, I believe there is lots of room for strengthening this presence and the cooperation with Saudi partners.”
Food security is another area where Poland sees scope for joint ventures and long-term cooperation. “We are quite an important food producer,” Domanski said. “We have knowhow. We have land. We have a growing sector.
“And I believe that, for example, through joint ventures with our Saudi partners, we could establish a long lasting cooperation in this sector.”
The construction sector also featured prominently, reflecting the scale and pace of development under way across the Kingdom.
“We have lots of contractors that proved to be very efficient and contractors that keep timelines and realize how it is important to deliver on time,” Domanski said.
“And I believe that here, seeing how quickly Saudi Arabia is developing, those contractors could also help in your development.”
Domanski highlighted the importance of institutional frameworks and regular high-level engagement. During his visit, discussions focused on communication mechanisms and a formal framework for cooperation.
“First of all, we need communication and we need to have a frame for cooperation,” he said.
“So this is why I’m really glad that together with the minister of trade, minister of investment, we were discussing both communication, and we’d like to see each other, invite each other more often, as this is very, very, important.
“And we’d like to set, also, the frame for cooperation. And such a document will be signed today. So we will decide who will be responsible for some particular areas and when we would like some results to be delivered.”
The move builds on existing structures, including the Saudi-Polish Coordination Council and a Saudi-Polish Business Council, as well as a new memorandum of understanding signed in January to strengthen the partnership’s strategic character.
Domanski said he hopes Saudi delegations will soon travel to Poland, including for major economic and reconstruction-focused events.
“I do hope that our friends from Saudi Arabia will join us during our economic congress, which will take place in Katowice in the Silesia region, the most industrialized region of Poland, at the end of June,” he said.
He also highlighted Poland’s role in hosting a major summit on Ukraine.
“We will host the Ukrainian Recovery Conference, which is a truly international event. And we would also love to see our Saudi friends to be there,” he said.
“I’ve invited ministers to participate in those events.”
While his focus remains economic, Domanski did not rule out expanding cooperation into defense, particularly as Poland ramps up military spending and industrial capacity.
“Unfortunately I couldn’t attend,” he said, referring to the World Defense Show currently taking place in Riyadh. “Having said that, it’s worth noting that Poland spends close to 5 percent of our GDP on defense. We intend to build a very strong defense industry in Poland.
“We are, of course, supporting, building a strong defense industry in Europe. But of course, I’m mostly focused on Poland. And therefore I believe that we can provide really, very good solutions for and very good equipment that could be presented here, and hopefully we can develop our cooperation also in this sector.”
For Domanski, Saudi Arabia represents not only Poland’s most important economic partner in the Arab world, but a gateway to diversification and scale.
“Polish companies are getting larger and larger,” he said. “And, of course, are looking for diversification, looking for new markets and for reliable partners like Saudi Arabia.”
