Economy Minister leads investment mission to North America

Economy Minister Nigel Dodds will visit North America to promote next year’s US/Northern Ireland Investment Conference.

Minister Dodds is set to travel to America from 12 – 16 November. He will visit New York, Washington, Boston and he will be the first Minister in the Northern Ireland Executive to visit Toronto, Canada.

During his five day visit the Minister will meet the Honorable Paula J. Dobriansky, Under Secretary of State for Democracy and Global Affairs and the President’s Special Envoy on Northern Ireland, as well as key stakeholders and senior business leaders and influencers across four major cities.

The Minister said: “Following my trade mission to America in June and the Executive’s support for the Northern Ireland exhibition at the Smithsonian Festival, I am determined to build on the strong relationships that I, and my Executive colleagues, have established in the United States.

“Only last month, the US Ambassadors to the UK and Irish Republic were here, alongside representatives from US companies, on a fact finding mission ahead of next year’s investment conference. It was a pleasure to welcome them to Northern Ireland.

“It is important that I go to America now, to raise further the profile of the forthcoming conference and to engage the support of senior business leaders, and influencers.”

Susan Elliott, US Consulate General in Northern Ireland wished the Minister success with his visit to America. Ms Elliot said: “Minister Dodds' visit to the United States will raise the profile of Northern Ireland’s plans to host an international investment conference while helping to affirm Northern Ireland's very real potential as a place to do business. We wish him and his Department every success as they seek to further develop business opportunities between the United States and Northern Ireland".

Commenting on the top priority given to the economy in the recent Programme for Government, the Minister continued: “The US/Northern Ireland Investment Conference will help us meet the challenging economic targets set out in the Programme for Government over the next three years. Promoting Northern Ireland in the US will assist Invest NI to deliver the target of over 6500 new jobs by 2011 through inward investment projects with investment commitments of £1.2billion. It will also aim to help 45 new start-up businesses to become exporters outside the UK by 2011.

“The investment conference is an opportunity to showcase Northern Ireland to US investors. Investors will find a skilled and well-educated workforce, a strong infrastructure and third-level institutions where the commercial exploitation of R&D and innovation lie at the heart of the academic and skills agenda.

“We must take advantage of this outstanding opportunity to deliver real and sustained economic change for all.”

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