International strategy: annual report 2024 to 2025
Annual report on delivery of Scotland’s International Strategy, highlighting progress made during the 2024 to 2025 reporting year.
Performance and transparency data
|
Office |
Year opened |
2024-25 budget £000 |
2025-26 budget £000 |
Staffing (Scottish Government) |
Staffing (Country-based) |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Scotland House Brussels, Belgium |
1999 |
1,893 |
1,844 |
7 |
5 |
|
Washington, DC, USA |
2005 |
647 |
677 |
2 |
2 |
|
Beijing, China |
2006 |
383 |
411 |
1 |
3 |
|
Dublin, Ireland |
2016 |
460 |
496 |
2 |
1 |
|
Scotland House London, UK |
2017 |
1,637 |
1,660 |
12 |
n/a |
|
Ottawa, Canada |
2018 |
484 |
481 |
2 |
1 |
|
Paris, France |
2018 |
499 |
541 |
2 |
1 |
|
Berlin, Germany |
2018 |
459 |
482 |
2 |
1 |
|
Copenhagen, Denmark |
2022 |
547 |
563 |
2 |
1 |
Country-based staff are employed by FCDO on its terms and conditions, with staffing costs met by Scottish Government.
|
London |
Brussels* |
Ireland |
France |
Denmark |
Germany |
USA |
Canada |
China |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Trade |
|||||||||
|
Companies Supported |
n/a |
10 |
40 |
206 |
67 |
144 |
361 |
50 |
121 |
|
International trade opportunities identified |
n/a |
0 |
87 |
197 |
31 |
122 |
439 |
1 |
226 |
|
Forecast international sales (£M) |
n/a |
14.15 |
13.79 |
307.17 |
19.80 |
153.90 |
616.45 |
26.18 |
139.43 |
|
GlobalScots |
|||||||||
|
Total number of GlobalScots |
74 |
5 |
17 |
35 |
14 |
36 |
350 |
29 |
46 |
|
Recruited in 2024-25 |
3 |
0 |
2 |
4 |
0 |
1 |
20 |
1 |
2 |
|
Investment |
|||||||||
|
Inward investment projects |
38 |
0 |
6 |
8 |
2 |
6 |
38 |
5 |
4 |
|
Planned total jobs |
1,363.5 |
0 |
311 |
122 |
110 |
199 |
2,551 |
695 |
92 |
|
Planned Real Living Wage jobs |
1,236.5 |
0 |
311 |
122 |
110 |
199 |
2,551 |
695 |
92 |
|
Planned green jobs |
193.5 |
0 |
5 |
64 |
20 |
81 |
505 |
110 |
21 |
|
Planned R&D investment (£M) |
16.74 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
104.55 |
0 |
0 |
|
Planned capital investment (£M) |
45.70 |
0 |
6.20 |
131.60 |
0 |
5.09 |
354.61 |
0 |
9.29 |
* Scotland House Brussels has not had an SDI presence located there since 2021
The Scottish Government Nordic office covers Denmark, Norway and Sweden, with additional work covering Iceland and Finland. Table 2 presents the trade and investment data from Denmark which is consistent with the other offices which cover one country. Data for Norway, Sweden, Iceland and Finland can be found below.
|
Iceland |
Finland |
Sweden |
Norway |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Trade |
||||
|
Companies supported |
1 |
3 |
17 |
17 |
|
International trade opportunities identified |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Forecast international sales (£M) |
2.68 |
2.00 |
4.63 |
10.63 |
|
GlobalScots |
||||
|
Total number of GlobalScots |
0 |
2 |
5 |
11 |
|
Recruited in 2024-25 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
0 |
|
Investment |
||||
|
Inward investment projects |
0 |
1 |
3 |
9 |
|
Planned total jobs |
0 |
11 |
119 |
279 |
|
Planned Real Living Wage jobs |
0 |
11 |
119 |
279 |
|
Planned green jobs |
0 |
0 |
30 |
49 |
|
Planned R&D investment (£M) |
0 |
2.69 |
0.1 |
0 |
|
Planned capital investment (£M) |
0 |
0 |
13.2 |
0.28 |
In the financial year 2024-25, work continued to diversify the International Network social media footprint, including the launch of three new channels. Strategic growth of office-owned LinkedIn and Instagram channels was prioritised. We continued to see a steady decline in followers of International Network X accounts in line with wider patterns of social media platform usage.53
|
Followers |
23-24 variance |
Engagement rate |
23-24 variance |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
|
251,495 |
-1,305 |
0.1% |
0% |
|
|
11,759 |
522 |
5.6% |
3.1% |
|
Little Red Book |
14,673 |
32 |
2.9% |
- |
|
Total |
277,927 |
-751 |
- |
- |
|
Followers |
23-24 variance |
Engagement rate |
23-24 variance |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
X |
3,471 |
-217 |
4.1% |
-0.4% |
|
LinkedIn* |
271 |
271 |
10.7% |
- |
|
Total |
3,742 |
54 |
- |
- |
* Scottish Government Germany LinkedIn launched June 2024
|
Followers |
23-24 variance |
Engagement rate |
23-24 variance |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
X |
4,045 |
-280 |
5.1% |
0.6% |
|
|
877 |
287 |
24.52% |
0.8% |
|
Total |
4,922 |
7 |
- |
- |
|
Followers |
23-24 variance |
Engagement rate |
23-24 variance |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
X |
3,488 |
-272 |
3.9% |
-0.4% |
|
LinkedIn* |
520 |
520 |
11.1% |
- |
|
Total |
4,008 |
248 |
- |
- |
* Scottish Government Ireland LinkedIn launched September 2024
|
Followers |
23-24 variance |
Engagement rate |
23-24 variance |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
X |
2,591 |
-129 |
3.3% |
-0.7% |
|
|
2,357 |
845 |
13.4% |
-1.9% |
|
Total |
4,948 |
716 |
- |
- |
|
Followers |
23-24 variance |
Engagement rate |
23-24 variance |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
X |
2,454 |
-318 |
3.5% |
-0.9% |
|
|
543 |
543 |
11.9% |
-0.4% |
|
Total |
2,997 |
225 |
- |
- |
|
Followers |
23-24 variance |
Engagement rate |
23-24 variance |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
X |
5,392 |
-198 |
4.9% |
0.2% |
|
|
621 |
311 |
10.1% |
-1.4% |
|
Total |
6,013 |
113 |
- |
- |
|
Followers |
23-24 variance |
Engagement rate |
23-24 variance |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
X |
4,370 |
-296 |
5.1% |
0.6% |
|
|
798 |
522 |
6.6% |
-6.0% |
|
Total |
5,168 |
226 |
- |
- |
|
Followers |
23-24 variance |
Engagement rate |
23-24 variance |
|
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
X |
5,592 |
-333 |
3.9% |
0% |
|
|
3,700 |
1,145 |
13.8% |
6.0% |
|
|
247 |
247 |
14.2% |
- |
|
Total |
9,539 |
1,059 |
- |
- |
* Scottish Government USA Instagram launched December 2024
|
Followers |
23-24 variance |
% variance |
|
|---|---|---|---|
|
X |
31,403 |
-2,043 |
-6.1% |
|
|
8,268 |
3,611 |
77.5% |
|
|
1,666 |
1,080 |
184.3% |
|
|
251,495 |
-1,305 |
-0.5% |
|
|
14,673 |
522 |
3.7% |
|
Little Red Book |
11,759 |
32 |
0.3% |
|
Total |
319,264 |
1,897 |
0.6% |
All Scottish Government Official Development Assistance (ODA) spend – its international development, humanitarian and climate justice work – is funded from within our own devolved budgets and is additional to the contribution that Scotland already makes through its taxpayers to the UK Government’s international development work delivered through the Foreign, Commonwealth and Development Office and other UK Government Departments.
In 2024 (the most recent UK Government report) our ODA spend was reported as £21 million.
|
Country |
Project Title |
Implementing partner |
Total spend |
Fund |
Competitively Awarded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Zambia |
Zambian Education School-based Training (ZEST) |
Open University |
£113,091 |
IDF - Education |
Yes |
|
Malawi |
MALSCOT Project |
University of Edinburgh |
£100,000 |
IDF - Health |
Yes |
|
Malawi |
University of Glasgow: Towards a Dental School for Malawi – The Maldent Project |
University of Glasgow |
£275,322 |
IDF - Health |
Yes |
|
Malawi |
University of Strathclyde: Rural energy access through social enterprise and decentralisation (EASE) |
University of Strathclyde |
£142,527 |
IDF - Renewables |
Yes |
|
Scotland, Malawi |
Core-funded |
£89,000 |
IDF - Global Citizenship |
No |
|
|
Malawi, Rwanda, Zambia |
Kids OR - Matchfunding Project |
Kids Operating Room (KidsOR) |
£25,500 |
IDF - Health |
No |
|
Scotland, Malawi, Rwanda, Zambia |
Global Renewables Centre |
University of Strathclyde |
£100,000 |
IDF - Renewables |
No |
|
Malawi, Zambia |
Quality Improvement (QI) for HPP |
Healthcare Improvement Scotland, Access to Health Zambia (CMMB) |
£9,072 |
IDF - Health |
Yes |
|
Malawi |
African Lakes |
African Lakes Company |
£36,000 |
IDF |
No |
|
Malawi, Rwanda, Zambia |
World Bank Inclusive Education Policy Academy (IEPA) |
World Bank |
£356,000 |
IDF - Education |
No |
|
Rwanda, Zambia |
NCDs – Multi-partner trust fund (MPTF) |
WHO, UNICEF, UNDP, UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office |
£500,000 |
IDF - Health |
Yes |
|
Rwanda, Zambia |
Renewables SE4ALL |
Sustainable Energy for All (SE4All) |
£250,000 |
IDF - Renewables |
No |
|
Malawi, Rwanda, Zambia |
Education - Heriot Watt MBA Scholarships for Zambia |
Heriot Watt |
£150,000 |
IDF - Education |
No |
|
Pakistan |
Pakistan scholarships |
British Council |
£200,000 |
IDF - Education |
No |
|
Malawi |
HEF Activations - Malawi Food crisis - January 2024 |
Christian Aid, SCIAF |
£500,000 |
IDF - Humanitarian |
Yes |
|
South Sudan, Ethiopia |
HEF Activations - South Sudan displacement & cross border response - February 2024 |
Christian Aid, Oxfam |
£250,000 |
IDF - Humanitarian |
Yes |
|
Malawi |
Malawi Loss And Damage Cash Transfers |
GiveDirectly |
£1,000,000 |
CJF |
No |
|
Developing countries, various |
Urban migration programme |
C40 |
£1,000,000 |
CJF |
No |
|
Developing countries, various |
Women’s Environmental and Development Organization [WEDO] |
Women’s Environmental and Development Organization [WEDO] |
£88,000 |
CJF |
No |
|
Malawi |
Storm Freddy Loss and Damage Programme |
SCIAF |
£300,000 |
CJF |
No |
|
Developing countries, various |
Non-economic Loss and Damage (NELD) |
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors |
£673,804 |
CJF |
No |
|
Malawi |
Climate Just Communities Malawi |
DAI Global UK Ltd |
£1,176,587 |
CJF |
Yes |
|
Zambia |
Climate Just Communities Zambia |
NIRAS |
£1,295,625 |
CJF |
Yes |
|
Rwanda |
Climate Just Communities Rwanda |
SCIAF |
£1,176,980 |
CJF |
Yes |
|
Total |
£9,807,508 |
||||
|
Country |
Project Title |
Implementing partner |
Total spend |
Fund |
Competitively Awarded |
|---|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Rwanda, Zambia |
NCDs – Multi-partner trust fund (MPTF) |
WHO, UNICEF, UNDP, UN Multi-Partner Trust Fund Office |
£815,000 |
IDF - Health |
Yes |
|
Malawi |
NCDs - Malawi - Scale up of PEN Plus |
Malawi Ministry of Health, Management4Health, DT Global |
£950,000 |
IDF - Health |
Yes |
|
Zambia |
NCDs – Zambia - PEN Plus training centres |
Centre for Infectious Disease Research in Zambia (CIDRZ) |
£175,000 |
IDF - Health |
Yes |
|
Rwanda |
NCDs – Rwanda - Community Palliative Care model pilot |
EMMS International, University of Global Health Equity (UGHE), African Center for Research on End-of-Life Care (ACREOL) |
£200,000 |
IDF - Health |
Yes |
|
Malawi, Zambia |
Quality Improvement (QI) for HPP |
Healthcare Improvement Scotland, Access to Health Zambia (CMMB) |
£95,535 |
IDF - Health |
Yes |
|
Malawi |
University of Glasgow and KUHES |
Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS), University of Glasgow |
£565,000 |
IDF - Health |
No |
|
Malawi, Zambia |
UNZA/KUHES vaccination programme |
Kamuzu University of Health Sciences (KUHeS), University of Glasgow, University of Zambia (UNZA) |
£200,000 |
IDF - Health |
No |
|
Malawi, Rwanda, Zambia |
Kids OR - Matchfunding Project |
Kids Operating Room (KidsOR) |
£25,500 |
IDF - Health |
No |
|
Scotland, Zambia, United States |
Kids OR - NASA project |
Kids Operating Room (KidsOR), University Teaching Hospital (Lusaka), NASA |
£25,000 |
IDF - Health |
No |
|
Scotland, Malawi |
SMMHEP |
Scotland Malawi Mental Health Education Project (SMMHEP) |
£39,560 |
IDF - Health |
No |
|
Malawi, Rwanda, Zambia |
Support for disabled learners |
Link Education |
£900,000 |
IDF - Education |
Yes |
|
Malawi, Rwanda, Zambia |
Scholarships for women and girls |
Oxfam |
£729,573 |
IDF - Education |
Yes |
|
Pakistan |
Pakistan scholarships |
British Council |
£600,000 |
IDF - Education |
No |
|
Malawi, Rwanda, Zambia |
World Bank (IEPAs) |
World Bank |
£431,000 |
IDF - Education |
No |
|
Malawi, Rwanda, Zambia |
Year 1 - WGF (phases 1 and 2) |
ECORYS, Forum for African Women Educationalists Rwanda (FAWERWA), Forum for African Women Educationalists Zambia (FAWEZA), Forum for African Women Educationalists Malawi (FAWEMA), |
£818,614 |
IDF - Equalities |
Yes |
|
Malawi, Zambia |
Police Scotland - Protection of Vulnerable Groups Programme |
Police Scotland |
£550,000 |
IDF - Equalities |
No |
|
Malawi, Zambia |
Police Scotland - One Stop Centres |
Police Scotland |
£50,000 |
IDF - Equalities |
No |
|
Scotland |
Core funded bodies - SMP |
Scotland Malawi Partnership |
£242,500 |
IDF - Global Citizenship |
No |
|
Malawi |
Core funded bodies - MaSP |
Malawi Scotland Partnership |
£97,267 |
IDF - Global Citizenship |
No |
|
Scotland |
Core funded bodies - SIDA |
Scotland’s International Development Alliance |
£195,888 |
IDF - Global Citizenship |
No |
|
Scotland |
Core funded bodies - Fair Trade Forum |
Scottish Fair Trade Forum |
£161,304 |
IDF - Global Citizenship |
No |
|
Scotland, Malawi, Rwanda, Zambia |
Global Renewables Centre |
University of Strathclyde |
£383,348 |
IDF - Renewables |
No |
|
Scotland |
HEF Secretariat |
Humanitarian Emergency Fund (HEF) |
£33,627 |
IDF - Humanitarian |
No |
|
Scotland |
UNSCR1325 Fellowships plus Peace Platform |
Beyond Borders |
£225,099 |
IDF - Humanitarian |
Yes |
|
Scotland |
Humanitarian - UK equipment |
IFRC - Ukraine Medical Equipment Transportation |
£32,041 |
IDF - Humanitarian |
No |
|
Kenya |
HEF Activations - Kenya Floods - May 2024 |
Islamic Relief, Oxfam |
£250,000 |
IDF - Humanitarian |
Yes |
|
Zambia, Zimbabwe, Malawi, Mozambique |
HEF Activations - Southern Africa Crisis - August 2024 |
Christian Aid, SCIAF |
£485,000 |
IDF - Humanitarian |
Yes |
|
Lebanon, The Occupied Palestinian Territories, Syria |
HEF Activations - Middle East Crisis - October 2024 |
Mercy Corps, SCIAF, Disasters Emergency Committee (DEC) |
£550,000 |
IDF - Humanitarian |
Yes |
|
Sudan, South Sudan, Chad |
HEF Activations - Sudan Crisis - December 2024 |
Christian Aid, Islamic Relief, Oxfam, Tearfund |
£775,000 |
IDF - Humanitarian |
Yes |
|
Malawi |
HEF Activations - Malawi Crisis - February 2025 |
Christian Aid, Oxfam, SCIAF |
£450,000 |
IDF - Humanitarian |
Yes |
|
Developing countries, various |
Non-economic Loss and Damage (NELD) |
Rockefeller Philanthropy Advisors |
£2,261,364 |
CJF |
No |
|
Developing countries, various |
Women’s Environmental and Development Organization [WEDO] |
Women’s Environmental and Development Organization [WEDO] |
£89,332.00 |
CJF |
No |
|
Malawi |
Climate Just Communities Malawi |
DAI Global UK Ltd |
£3,256,013 |
CJF |
Yes |
|
Zambia |
Climate Just Communities Zambia |
NIRAS |
£3,246,666 |
CJF |
Yes |
|
Rwanda |
Climate Just Communities Rwanda |
SCIAF |
£3,207,468 |
CJF |
Yes |
|
Total |
£23,111,699 |
||||
|
Minister |
Ministerial Role |
Country |
Date |
Purpose of Visit |
|---|---|---|---|---|
|
Angus Robertson MSP |
Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture |
USA |
April 2024 |
New York Tartan Week |
|
Fiona Hyslop MSP |
Cabinet Secretary for Transport |
Ireland |
April 2024 |
Transport Research Arena 2024 |
|
Mairi Gougeon MSP |
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands |
Spain |
April 2024 |
Global Seafood Expo |
|
Angus Robertson MSP |
Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture |
Germany |
May 2024 |
Arctic Circle Forum |
|
John Swinney MSP |
First Minister |
France |
June 2024 |
80th Anniversary D-Day Commemorations |
|
Tom Arthur MSP |
Minister for Employment and Investment |
Iceland |
June 2024 |
Wellbeing Economy Forum |
|
Gillian Martin MSP |
Minister for Climate Action |
Ireland |
June 2024 |
Ireland-Scotland Joint Offshore Wind Event |
|
John Swinney MSP |
First Minister |
Germany |
June 2024 |
EURO 2024 Scotland vs Germany |
|
Maree Todd MSP |
Minister for Social Care, Mental Wellbeing and Sport |
Germany |
June 2024 |
EURO 2024 Scotland vs Switzerland |
|
Angus Robertson MSP |
Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture |
Germany |
June 2024 |
EURO 2024 Scotland vs Hungary |
|
Mairi Gougeon MSP |
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands |
Norway |
August 2024 |
Aquaculture and food processing |
|
Gillian Martin MSP |
Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy |
USA |
September 2024 |
New York Climate Week |
|
Mairi Gougeon MSP |
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands |
Spain |
October 2024 |
Zero Hunger 5th World Summit of Regions on Food Security and Sovereignty |
|
Mairi Gougeon MSP |
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands |
France |
October 2024 |
SIAL Paris international food exhibition |
|
Mairi Gougeon MSP |
Cabinet Secretary for Rural Affairs, Land Reform and Islands |
Belgium (EU) |
October 2024 |
Scottish food and drink trade reception |
|
Richard Lochhead MSP |
Minister for Business |
Singapore |
October 2024 |
Trade mission to Singapore & Malaysia |
|
Richard Lochhead MSP |
Minister for Business |
Malaysia |
October 2024 |
Trade mission to Singapore & Malaysia |
|
Alasdair Allan MSP |
Minister for Climate Action |
Germany |
October 2024 |
Hydrogen and offshore wind |
|
Alasdair Allan MSP |
Minister for Climate Action |
Norway |
October 2024 |
Hydrogen and offshore wind |
|
Alasdair Allan MSP |
Minister for Climate Action |
Sweden |
October 2024 |
Hydrogen and offshore wind |
|
Jenny Gilruth MSP |
Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills |
Poland |
November 2024 |
Visit to Auschwitz-Birkenau with the Holocaust Educational trust, funded by the Scottish Lessons from Auschwitz grant |
|
Richard Lochhead MSP |
Minister for Business |
Spain |
November 2024 |
Disruptive and Emerging Technology Alliance Ministerial Summit |
|
Gillian Martin MSP |
Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy |
Azerbaijan |
November 2024 |
COP29 Baku |
|
Alasdair Allan MSP |
Minister for Climate Action |
Belgium (EU) |
November 2024 |
UK-EU Relations, hydrogen, energy |
|
Kate Forbes MSP |
Deputy First Minister and Cabinet Secretary for Economy and Gaelic |
France |
November 2024 |
St Andrews Day trade reception |
|
Gillian Martin MSP |
Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy |
Germany |
January 2025 |
Handelsblatt Energy Summit |
|
Angus Robertson MSP |
Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture |
Denmark |
January 2025 |
Burns Night and screen sector promotion |
|
Angus Robertson MSP |
Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture |
Sweden |
January 2025 |
Burns Night and screen sector promotion |
|
Angus Robertson MSP |
Cabinet Secretary for Constitution, External Affairs and Culture |
Belgium (EU) |
February 2025 |
Burns Night and UK-EU Relations |
|
Richard Lochhead MSP |
Minister for Business |
UAE |
February 2025 |
MoU between Heriot Watt University and Expo City Dubai |
|
Gillian Martin MSP |
Cabinet Secretary for Net Zero and Energy |
Germany |
March 2025 |
Berlin Energy Transition Dialogue |
|
Siobhian Brown MSP |
Minister for Victims and Community Safety |
Bosnia and Herzegovina |
March 2025 |
Commemoration of Srebrenica genocide |
|
Jenny Gilruth MSP |
Cabinet Secretary for Education and Skills |
Iceland |
March 2025 |
15th International Summit on the Teaching Profession |