Starting as we mean to go on: View from the Foyle by Andrew Fleming, President, Derry Chamber

Since the return of the political institutions, the Londonderry Chamber has been encouraged by an increased level of engagement from the Executive with stakeholders across the North West, ourselves included. Throughout 2024, we were proud to welcome First Minister Michelle O’Neill, Minister for the Economy Conor Murphy, and Minister of Finance Caoimhe Archibald to the region. We have started as we mean to go on in 2025, having already hosted Minister for Infrastructure John O’Dowd this month.

The Minister was both generous with his time and forthright in presenting his views on current infrastructural challenges to Chamber members.

Nobody, not least the Minister himself, is under the impression that we are not without our challenges when it comes to building the Derry and North West that we all want to see, and all we ask of our Executive Ministers is that they work with the business community of the North West to understand our concerns and to co-design the way forward for the region.

The naming of regional balance as one of four economic priorities upon the resumption of the institutions was very welcome, and also overdue. The days of Derry and the North West being an afterthought are thankfully consigned to the past.

The extensive engagement we have had with ministers and senior civil servants since then has served to underline that point.

The proof, of course, will be in the pudding. While we understand the infrastructural concerns that may affect development across the entirety of Northern Ireland, 2025 must be a year of delivery. The ambitious plans contained within the Derry and Strabane City Region City Deal, the Magee Taskforce action plan, and the All-Island Strategic Rail Review, to name a few, would see this region totally transformed.

Private investment would almost certainly match this public realm investment and harness the expertise coming out of the newly enlarged Ulster University, magnifying the impact of this development.

The theme for my year of presidency is ‘Ambitious Regional Collaborations’, for which there will be ample opportunity with events including The Open coming to our neighbours on the Causeway Coast.

We have an extraordinary opportunity in this region and this city, but the job is not yet done.

Now is the time to double down on our efforts to truly transform the local economy for the benefit of everyone.

The North West City Region concept is a strong one with Donegal and Derry and Strabane offering a strong combined value proposition to investors.

The opportunity exists to explore this concept further, both in terms of trade missions and of marketing and economic development opportunities.

I intend to work closely with colleagues across the North West region and beyond to ensure initiatives announced are delivered upon, investment in people and place remains to the fore of governments in Belfast, Dublin and London and that we continue to work together to achieve our goals for the North West.

Andrew Fleming,

President,

Derry Chamber.