FINANCE Secretary Kate Forbes has revealed that countries across the world including India and the US have been taking a greater interest in meeting with Scottish Government representatives.
Forbes, speaking to SNP MP Drew Hendry on his Scotland’s Choice podcast, said that Scotland would fit “very nicely” on the international stage.
Forbes said: “As our country renews, we need to choose our own future before someone else chooses it for us.
“We saw, perhaps, some of it come to the public eye during Cop26 where I certainly experienced, as a representative of the Scottish Government, far more of an active interest from countries across the world who were making requests for meetings with representatives of the Scottish Government.
“We saw that particularly from the United States – but also countries like India, where there’s a particular interest in our renewables industry, and from other European countries.”
The Scottish Government minister spoke of Scotland’s wave and tide potential, as well as the huge role oil and gas play in our exports.
She said: “In terms of fitting in the world, we are a small, advanced economy with enviable economic strengths and assets.
“I think it’s Andrew Wilson who said it – in the event of independence, we would become one of the richest countries to become independent at the point of independence.”
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Meanwhile, Forbes praised the importance of businesses to Scotland’s global popularity, stressing how they inform international views on our culture, heritage and character.
“That brand is recognisable,” she said. “It’s not a brand from 200 years ago or even 100 years ago, it’s a brand that’s been built up painstakingly over the last few years. It’s a brand of quality and we should do everything in our power to protect that.”
Forbes remains confident that an independent Scotland would only bolster our popularity.
She said: "We have much to offer Europe and the world, and we’re already seeing that within the limits that we have, so how much more can we do without the limits?”
Scotland’s Choice is an independence-focused podcast hosted by Hendry.
Episodes air every Tuesday and discuss Scotland’s political landscape with politicians and activists.
Forbes discussed economic opportunities for Scotland with Hendry, including currency, trade, borrowing powers and pensions.
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