Former US president Bill Clinton will use a visit to Northern Ireland today to promote US investment in the region.
His two-day trip to attend events in Ireland comes ahead of a major Northern Ireland investment conference in Washington next month to be hosted by US secretary of state Hillary Clinton.
Mr Clinton arrived in Derry this afternoon
Mr Clinton arrived in Derry this afternoon and held meetings with First Minister Peter Robinson and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.
“During our meeting, President Clinton once again outlined the US administration’s continuing commitment to helping us achieve our goal of a vibrant and dynamic economy. In recent years the US has become an important and influential friend to us," Mr Robinson said.
“The importance of the role the US plays in helping us achieve our trade and investment goals should not be under-estimated. I have no doubt that the economic conference to be held in Washington in October will generate further investment here.”
Mr McGuinness said the Obama administration was committed to developing Northern Ireland’s economy.
“The spotlight that will shine on us at the economic conference will provide an unprecedented opportunity to highlight potential investment opportunities here to US investors,” he added. “President Clinton’s personal contribution to achieving peace was unprecedented and unparalleled. We will always be grateful to both him and Secretary of State Clinton for the enormous contribution that they have made and
continue to make here.”
Mr Clinton is due to deliver a keynote address to an invited audience at University of Ulster’s Magee College.
He is also meeting business leaders currently lobbying to build economic links across the Atlantic. He may also use the visit as an opportunity to honour the contribution of former SDLP leader John Hume to the peace process.
Mr Clinton will travel on to Dublin after the engagement where he will open the Clinton Institute for American studies at University College Dublin.
US economic envoy to Northern Ireland Declan Kelly will also attend Magee today.
The economic summit organised by Mrs Clinton is scheduled to take place on October 19th in Washington DC.