NI Leaders In New York Visit

Northern Ireland's First Minister, Peter Robinson, and the Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness, are visiting New York this week in a number of engagements and business meetings.

During the five-day visit, from 9 to 13 September, the two leaders will undertake a series of meetings and engagements ahead of the October Investment Conference in Belfast.

The Ministers will meet existing and potential investors, as well as the Chair of the Panel of Parties in the NI Executive, Dr Richard Haass, Mayor Bloomberg and the outgoing Chair of the American Ireland Fund, Loretta Brennan Glucksman.

Following a visit to the regeneration project at the Brooklyn Navy Yard, the Ministers will address a business audience at the sixteenth Annual Irish America Wall Street 50 Awards ceremony.

Mr Robinson said: "We will take every opportunity, in New York, to promote Northern Ireland as an excellent location for new investors, before the Investment Conference next month. The purpose of the conference is to showcase Northern Ireland and explore the world-class opportunities that we offer. It will be a superb platform for making an international pitch and our message will be loud and clear – Northern Ireland is a great place in which to invest and to grow your business.

"I also welcome the opportunity to meet with Dr Richard Haass whilst in New York before the start of next week's meetings with Executive Parties to bring forward a set of recommendations to deal with some of the most divisive issues in society in Northern Ireland."

Mr McGuinness added:"It is important we visit the United States of America in advance of the Investment Conference in October and ahead of the Executive Party Group meeting with Richard Haass next week.

"The USA has played, and continues to play, a key role in the achievement of peace and economic development in the north of Ireland. We have enjoyed a unique relationship which, in a world characterised by change, is something we value highly."

(JP/MH)