America's Department of Commerce has been invited to partner the NI Executive in 'building' a new and vibrant economy here.

The First Minister and Deputy First Minister told the US Secretary of Commerce, Carlos Gutierrez, that they are in the US on a joint mission, with a common purpose and a clear message.

The Ministers attended a business dinner for the Department of Commerce and prospective investors – with 'building' new international relationships and, literally boosting Northern Ireland's building industry in the process.

The First Minister, Ian Paisley, said: "We have entered a new era where the focus is on building economic prosperity - taking all of the great assets of Northern Ireland and creating powerful new economic opportunity. That, more than anything else, is the challenge of the new era.

"All of the people here have formidable business insights and experience. I invite all of them to come and see for themselves the investment potential that exists.

"I invite them to tell investors in the United States that Northern Ireland is well and truly open for business and that without exception, Ministers in the devolved Government are committed to building new partnerships with the private sector," concluded the First Minister.

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Deputy First Minister, Martin McGuinness said: "We've become more successful in attracting Foreign Direct Investment with over six billion dollars worth having been secured since 1996. The US is our most important market. In the past five years alone, Invest Northern Ireland has attracted 51 inward investment projects from the United States.

"Many of these have come from the innovation-based sectors of internationally traded services, particularly business services, financial services and ICT and from companies of the calibre of Liberty Mutual. Allstate and Allen Systems and Citi,” continued the deputy First Minister.

"For international investors, we have high-tech expertise, industrial ingenuity and a great lifestyle to offer making us one of the most attractive inward investment locations in Europe, particularly as a nearshore location from which to service large markets.

"We have world class Universities in Queens and the University of Ulster, excellent R & D support and a highly competitive cost environment.

"The Executive has ambitious plans to create 6,500 new jobs by 2011 with 600 companies becoming exporters for the first time in the same period.

"Over the next 10 years we plan to invest almost $40 billion dollars to ensure that we have the infrastructure needed to support further investment. In all of this we remain deeply appreciative of the help we have received from the United States," he said.

Noting that the building industry is part of the overall future plan, he continued: "Our people have put their trust and confidence in us as an Executive to deliver a better future. We are determined not to let them down. We are determined to deliver economic prosperity, fairness and inclusion for all our people."

(JM)