A TOTAL of 48 US companies have so far signed up to take part in the US-NI Investment Conference in Belfast next month.

The North's Economy Minister, Nigel Dodds, said he was greatly encouraged by the level of interest the US business community had shown in the event. The conference, which will run from May 7th to 9th, is designed to showcase Northern Ireland's advantages as an investment location with its own devolved government in a time of peace.

It is aimed primarily at potential US inward investors but there has also been a campaign to market the conference on the international stage, including new investors from the Indian subcontinent. Indian companies are increasingly considering Northern Ireland as an investment location for what they term "near-shore" jobs in the UK.

The Indian call centre groups ICICI OneSource and HCL have created almost 3,000 jobs in the North, while Firstsource, a business process management services provider, is in the process of creating a further 1,000 jobs.

Mr Dodds believes the conference provides Northern Ireland with a "one-time opportunity" to show the world that it is now "open for business".

"Potential investors will see at first hand the greater stability and optimism for the future that has arisen since the restoration of devolution," Mr Dodds said.

There have been ongoing concerns among senior business figures and certain politicians in the North over the timing of the conference, given the current economic climate in the US.

The North's Economy Minister says the event continues to have strong support from the US administration and the British and American governments.

However, there remains some anxiety among senior business figures in the North about what level of executive will attend the event.