I worked as a journalist for more than 20 years in South Africa.
Last week I received an email from an old pal editing a business magazine there.
He said: “Thanks for your e-mail regarding lack of clarity over Brexit next year. “I would like to hope there is a lot going on behind the scenes regarding free trade areas, international trade contacts, etc, but I doubt it.
“I think I told you some time back that the UK has given up sending trade missions to SA. At one time there was one a month, and I wrote about them. They also stopped producing a regular newsletter with details and illustrations of new products and services from the UK.
“Now we get regular trade missions from China and India. As you know, they are part of the BRICS group of countries – Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa. BRICS held its annual summit in SA this year and got extensive coverage in the respective countries.
“The UK was invited to attend as an observer, which I thought would have been an ideal opportunity for it to put over its views on free trade opportunities with the world’s biggest emerging markets. It could have done this on the sidelines and at the many social events. But nothing happened.”
Mr Fox, where are you?
Cliff Foster
Holbeach
