"The register is designed to shine a light on which companies are being paid to represent foreign states in the UK. It launched on Wednesday with three companies having their names published in public with firms allowed to ask for opt-outs from the open register if it could prejudice commercial interests or present a risk to safety. Government sources said more registrations were still being assessed and there was a pipeline due to be published."
"One of the first companies to appear was Groze Consulting, run by Sir Dominick Chilcott, who is a former ambassador to Turkey, Ireland and briefly Iran, whose small firm is registered as working for Bosnia and Herzegovina. Chilcott said he thought that the register was understandable to bring in transparency and it was probably sensible to have something like this."
"Lehrle said he was surprised only three names had been published as so many consultancies work for foreign states. He said the firm's work for the DRC is well documented and quite public, and that its original brief was to help present the president to the English-speaking world hence his appearance at the 2022 FT Africa Summit, (and) interviews with the Times and WSJ."
The UK launched a register of foreign influence that publicly named three consultancies representing foreign states. The three firms are run by two former ambassadors and a former Conservative chief of staff and are registered for Bosnia and Herzegovina and the Democratic Republic of Congo. Firms can apply for opt-outs from the open register on grounds of commercial prejudice or safety risk. Government sources said additional registrations are being assessed with a pipeline for publication. Critics warn that loopholes could allow companies to avoid registration or to withhold their names. Early registrants include Groze Consulting, CGC reSolutions, and Sans Frontieres Associates.
Read at www.theguardian.com
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