- The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland will travel to Washington D.C. this week to participate in the annual St. Patrick’s Day events.
- The Parliamentary Under-Secretary of State will travel separately to Boston on a number of tech related engagements.
- The visits are an opportunity to underline the strong ties between Northern Ireland and the United States, promote economic growth, and update the US administration on legislation relating to the legacy of the Troubles.
The Secretary of State for Northern Ireland, Hilary Benn MP, will travel to Washington D.C. this week to participate in the annual St. Patrick’s Day events.
During his visit, the Secretary of State will engage with the US Administration, Congressional Members, business leaders, and key stakeholders to strengthen bilateral relations, and promote Northern Ireland as a fantastic place to invest, work and live.
He will also update US interlocutors on the range of key issues, including the Joint Framework on legacy and the UK Government’s Troubles Bill, as well as its ongoing support for the Northern Ireland Executive.
In Boston, Minister Patrick will be meeting with Invest NI and tech businesses such as Rapid7 and aPriori who are based in both Northern Ireland and Boston. Northern Ireland already attracts world-leading firms in cyber security, tech and innovation – and this visit is about deepening those relationships and exploring what more can be done.
On St Patrick’s Day, the Minister will be a keynote speaker at an Evacuation Day event which marks the 250th anniversary of the final evacuation of British troops from Boston.
Speaking ahead of his departure, Mr Benn, said
I am greatly looking forward to representing the UK Government in Washington this week for the annual St. Patrick’s Day celebrations.
I will be meeting with US counterparts, promoting Northern Ireland as a great place to invest and do business, and building on the UK’s long-standing and strong relationship with the United States.
Minister Patrick said
This visit to Boston is an important opportunity to showcase what Northern Ireland has to offer to US investors.
Northern Ireland is bursting with creativity and talent. It’s home to one of Europe’s fastest-growing tech sectors and some of the world’s leading cyber security companies. Meeting with Invest NI and leading tech firms, I’ll be making the case that Northern Ireland is open for business and encouraging US companies to invest here.
ENDS