His Excellency Giles Matthew Portman, Ambassador of the United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, joins Andreea Drăgan, Editor at Nine O’Clock, for an insightful discussion. As a seasoned diplomat, Ambassador Portman shares his views on the dynamic relationship between the UK and Romania, highlighting opportunities for collaboration in trade, security, education, and culture while addressing the challenges and prospects that lie ahead.
Nine O’Clock: Your Excellency, how would you assess the current bilateral relations between the United Kingdom and Romania? What are the priority areas of cooperation?
Giles Matthew Portman: Our relations are extremely close, from defence co-operation, to economic growth, the fight against organised criminals, and the need to protect the most vulnerable in our societies.
What does that mean in practice? As NATO Allies, we defend our people and our values, and support Ukraine in the face of Russian aggression. We have taken our trade relations to new levels, surpassing £10 billion in bilateral trade by nurturing investments and creating jobs. We are working together to tackle modern slavery and human trafficking, including with £1.2 million of UK funding for my Embassy to run projects in this field.
And let’s not forget the hugely important people to people ties between Romania and the UK – 1.2 million Romanians living in the UK. Despite being 2,300 km apart, our countries have in fact never been closer.
Nine O’Clock: Brexit has significantly impacted European relations. How do you see the evolution of economic and trade ties between the UK and Romania in this new context?
Giles Matthew Portman: Of course we are in a new dynamic now. And the outlook is very good. Since Brexit, our trade has grown a lot – in the past 5 years, it has almost doubled and many more British companies are investing here or scoping the market. This year we have also solved some outstanding market access barriers that will make our trade relations even smoother. It’s important that both British and Romanian Governments continue to prioritise support for the business community. That’s why the British Government has made economic growth its number one priority.
Nine O’Clock: Security and defense are critical topics in the region. How do the two countries collaborate within NATO, and how is the UK supporting efforts to strengthen security in Eastern Europe?
Giles Matthew Portman: We are very strong Allies within NATO. In November our Defence Ministers signed a new Defence Cooperation Treaty to show the strength of the bilateral relationship and intentions for even more military collaboration in future. We are both the strongest of advocates of support to Ukraine, for assisting Moldova as it continues on its chosen Euro-Atlantic trajectory and for assuring the safety of navigation in the Black Sea. The UK and Romanian military train and operate together frequently. Both countries are key participants in NATO exercises too, to improve interoperability and maintain readiness to defend the Eastern Flank from aggression.
Nine O’Clock: A significant number of Romanians live and work in the UK. How do you perceive the Romanian community’s contribution to British society, and what initiatives are in place to support this community?
Giles Matthew Portman: I was recently on a Romania TV show where the host asked me: ‘In what city apart from Bucharest is Romanian spoken most?’ And the answer is…London! There are 1.2 million Romanians in the UK – we think it is the largest Romanian diaspora in the world, and we are grateful for their contribution to the development of the British economy and society. These ties between us are only going to get stronger: recently, the Romanian language was introduced as a subject in two of our most important universities – how wonderful!
Nine O’Clock: What are the priorities of the British Embassy in Romania in fostering UK investments in the local economy and vice versa?
Giles Matthew Portman: I am really glad to see British companies investing in Romania and searching the market for opportunities. One of the areas which has thrived in recent years is renewable energy, with solar and wind megawatts continuously added to the grid. Infrastructure, clean mobility and defence and security are other priorities given British companies’ expertise in these fields.
I should also mention – this is not so well known – that the UK encourages foreign companies to internationalise themselves and supports them on their way to further develop their business. Tech, innovation and cybersecurity are just a few of the areas where Romanian companies are looking for development and investment opportunities in the UK.
Nine O’Clock: In the cultural and educational fields, what are the key projects promoting the exchange of ideas and collaboration between young people from Romania and the UK?
Giles Matthew Portman: The British Council plays a major role here. A cornerstone of international success is, of course, proficiency in the English language. The British Council’s courses, with a particular focus on speaking skills, supplement what children and young people learn at school and university. Some 30,000 young Romanians take English language examinations at the British Council each year.
But cultural exchanges go much wider than this. From photography exhibitions to film screenings, art and design. I want to also highlight some outstanding local Romanian events which feature UK arts and culture, like the Craiova Shakespeare Festival and the Sibiu International Theatre Festival.
Nine O’Clock: How do you perceive Romanian youth’s interest in educational and professional opportunities in the UK, and what changes have the new visa regulations brought for students?
Giles Matthew Portman: We continue to see a lot of interest in UK educational opportunities. The challenge is less about visas and more about university fees as Romanian students now pay full international fees. I know this is a challenge, and that is why the British Council is connecting Romanian and UK universities and education agencies and developing exchanges and joint programmes. This way students can access UK education either wholly or partially from Romania, which makes it much more accessible to larger numbers. There are already some ten programmes, with several more in the pipeline.
Nine O’Clock: Given the global transition towards a green economy, how can Romania and the UK collaborate to accelerate sustainability initiatives and combat climate change?
Giles Matthew Portman: The UK firmly believes that action on climate is also the route towards economic growth, energy security, better jobs and national security in the long term. We want to work with partners like Romania to achieve ambitious climate and environmental goals. Together we’re committed to protecting the vulnerable, driving decarbonisation and building a safer, greener future for all.
Nine O’Clock: Are there plans to connect the start-up ecosystems of the UK and Romania, given the shared interest in technology and entrepreneurship? How can we stimulate the transfer of know-how in innovative industries such as fintech or biotechnology?
Giles Matthew Portman: The UK is first in Europe for tech ecosystem development and the value of its start-ups. It’s also an academic powerhouse: 84% of UK university research is ‘world-leading’ or ‘internationally excellent’. So yes, let’s join up much more! The Embassy is in close contact with the tech ecosystem in Romania and offers tailored support to innovators and accelerators, to help them with their international expansion ambitions.
Nine O’Clock: Your Excellency, the UK has been an important partner in providing military and humanitarian support to Ukraine. How do you assess Romania’s role in post-war reconstruction efforts?
Giles Matthew Portman: Romania’s leadership role in supporting Ukraine is fully recognised and we are extremely grateful for it. We will need it in future too, as Ukraine rebuilds. Romania will be a vital hub for moving goods to Ukraine. Ports on the Danube and factories across Romania stand to benefit from this. We should work together closely and complement each other’s efforts.
Nine O’Clock: What is the Romanian tradition that has impressed you the most since you’ve been in Romania? Is there a Romanian dish that you prefer and that reminds you of the flavors from home in England?
Giles Matthew Portman: So many! But as one example: I recently visited Maramureș for the first time, to see some of the projects King Charles has been involved in, to support the local culture and traditional way of life. I was absolutely overwhelmed by the warmth of my welcome there. I loved seeing the traditional wooden architecture, the traditional clothing, and enjoying the locally produced food … and țuica!
Nine O’Clock: In October 2024, Nine O’Clock celebrated its 33rd anniversary with a special 120-page volume, Interviews, Messages, and Speeches of Ambassadors and CEOs. This edition includes over 30 interviews, including yours. What is your opinion on this initiative by the newspaper’s new management? Do you think such a publication is needed today?
Giles Matthew Portman: Thank you for including me! As diplomats and guests in your country, our job is to get to know you, to share information, and to build understanding. You help us to do that. So thank you, and happy anniversary!
By Andreea Drăgan, Editor Nine O’Clock
