The move follows the recommendation made by the Welsh Assembly’s Economy Committee for a new trade and international relations minister responsible for “selling Wales to the world”.
This comes only a week after the Welsh Conservatives appointed their own Shadow Cabinet Secretary dedicated to external affairs and international relations – Darren Millar AM.
The committee’s recommendation was that the Welsh Government “should give serious consideration to creating a specific cabinet post to combine responsibilities for international trade and Brexit implementation, in order to provide further focus to this area and regular and structured opportunities for scrutiny”.
Another recommendation called on the Welsh Government to work more cooperatively with the UK Government by being “more proactive in using the existing network of Foreign and Commonwealth and Department for Internal Trade offices and connections”.
The Welsh Conservatives’ newly appointed Shadow Secretary for External Affairs and International Relations, Darren Millar AM, said:
“There is utter confusion in Welsh Government regarding who is responsible for overseas trade and relations so I’m delighted to see a cross-party committee recommending the adoption of our approach to engaging with the wider world by appointing a portfolio holder for international relations.
“The appointment of a Minister and a team of Welsh trade envoys working closely with UK Government representatives overseas, will go a long way to improving international relations and take advantage of trading opportunities post Brexit.”
Commenting, the Leader of the Welsh Conservatives, Paul Davies AM, said:
“I created this Shadow Cabinet role because I recognise the role that international relations has to play in securing investment for Wales, and now it’s time for the Welsh Government to replicate that.
“This will better prepare Wales to adopt another of the committee’s recommendations: that the Welsh Government should make more of the pre-existing UK Government infrastructure abroad – all the more important now with Brexit on the horizon.
“Wales is more reliant on trade with the EU compared with other parts of the UK and the Welsh Government has consistently failed to diversify its export destinations. That adds even more urgency to the need for the implementation of these measures in order to drastically boost trade between Wales and wider global markets.”
