00:00The Mayor of West Yorkshire has begun a five-day trade mission to Switzerland and Germany,
00:06leading a delegation of 12 regional businesses aimed at boosting exports and attracting investment.
00:13Tracey Braben's visit will focus on three key sectors described as major job creators across
00:18Bradford, Halifax, Huddersfield, Leeds and Wakefield, financial and digital services,
00:25health technology and advanced manufacturing. The government says the mission reflects wider
00:31efforts to strengthen trade with European partners. Switzerland is the United Kingdom's
00:3711th largest trading partner, with annual trade worth almost £47 billion. Services account for
00:45more than 60% of that total and support around 130,000 jobs nationwide. The Mayor says the region
00:53will promote its £160 million health tech investment zone and seek private investment
01:00linked to a £2 billion devolution funding settlement. The delegation is also expected to meet business
01:07leaders and investors during a joint conference with the British-Swiss business community.
01:13In Germany, discussions are planned around advanced engineering and artificial intelligence-enabled
01:20manufacturing, including sustainable transport systems and research partnerships with universities and industry.
Comments