Economic growth in rural areas in the North can benefit immensely from co-operation between local businesses, irrespective of national borders, a cross-Border workshop on e-business was told yesterday.

The "Building your E-Business" conference, which opened last night in Enniskillen, is a first for the North-South Trade and Business Development Body and was organised with President Clinton's special economic envoy to Ireland, Mr Jim Lyons, and LEDU and Enterprise Ireland to underline their commitment to building a robust e-business economy. It highlights the major economic potential of e-business for small-to-medium-sized businesses on both sides of the Border and is an opportunity to enhance levels of economic activity in Border regions that could lead to significant new employment opportunities.

At the workshop today US entrepreneurs will share their e-business experiences in transforming companies into successful e-businesses.

In a video link address to the conference, Northern Ireland Deputy First Minister, Mr Seamus Mallon, said that securing a worthwhile share of the emerging Internet economy is a priority for local companies. "We must develop and secure a worthwhile share of the emerging Internet economy."