McGuinness welcomes US Trade Mission to Derry

“US Secretary of State John Kerry’s Special Representative for Global Partnerships, Andrew O’Brien will be leading a Trade Delegation to the north this week,” Mr. McGuinness commented.

“It is an initiative that I have been in discussion with the State Depaetment for some time. I repeatedly stressed that the delegation should come to Derry as well as Belfast and I’m delighted that they are doing so.

“It is a high-level delegation of U.S. investors including entrepreneurs, philanthropists, and representatives from academia.

“They plan to bring together local representatives and business interests to explore prospects of partnerships, business opportunities and academic collaboration that will help grow the local economy.

“Having travelled and lobbied extensively over the last nine years I can assure you that these delegations deliver tremendous dividends. The Executive in collaboration with Invest NI have delivered over 40,000 jobs throughout the North since Sinn Féin and the DUP first entered the present Executive in 2007 – over 1400 to Derry in the last 24 months alone.”

Mr. McGuinness also stressed that there will be many more opportunities in the time ahead.

He commented: “This delegation is actually a precursor to a larger trade mission planned for later in the year. Arlene Foster and myself will also be travelling to the United States during St Patrick’s week when, as well as meeting with President Obama, we will meet with several blue chip companies in New York and California.

“It is these kind of engagements which have delivered record levels of foreign direct investment to these shores and I have no doubt that we can continue to build on that in the time ahead.”