OFMdFM - Clinton Global Initiative

Mr J Spratt asked the First Minister and deputy First Minister for their assessment of the potential investment in Northern Ireland as a result of the Clinton Global Initiative and other meetings held during their recent visit to the USA.

(AQO 239/10)

First Minister and deputy First Minister: We participated in the Clinton Global Initiative’s annual conference. We were asked to address a special session, chaired by President Clinton, on the promotion of investment opportunities here.

We addressed an audience of more than 350 people, including senior executives from major financial institutions, the film industry and the media. Secretary of State Clinton’s newly appointed Economic Envoy, Declan Kelly, shared the platform with us and made a persuasive pitch to corporate America to consider investing here. The Employment and Learning Minister, Sir Reg Empey, also attended the session and outlined the bespoke training programmes his Department can offer incoming investors.

The panel was completed by the Secretary of State, Shaun Woodward, and the Irish Foreign Affairs Minister, Micheal Martin.

While in New York, we also met a number of senior executives from financial organisations which are in discussions with Invest NI about investing here. One of these was the New York Stock Exchange which announced on Monday investment that will result in upwards of 500 high quality jobs in the financial services sector.

We also met with Prime Minister, Gordon Brown, to discuss Policing and Justice and then US Secretary of State, Hillary Clinton, with whom we discussed the current political situation and the potential for US investment. Secretary of State Clinton maintains a close interest in the situation here, as her visit last week showed.