Taoiseach Brian Cowen has asked 120 US business executives not to think about what they could do for Northern Ireland but to focus on what Northern Ireland could do for them.
He was addressing the US-Northern Ireland investment conference in Stormont this afternoon along with British prime minister Gordon Brown, First Minister the Rev Ian Paisley, and Deputy First Minister Martin McGuinness.
They are pitching to senior executives, including New York Mayor Michael Bloomberg, about the merits of investing in the North.
Mr Cowen said he was delighted that one of his first engagements as Taoiseach brought him to Northern Ireland where there was "something truly special happening".
He said Northern Ireland was a region with a proven excellence in education, a skilled work force and a strong track record in research and development.
“In the South, we can testify powerfully to the importance of foreign direct investment as a driver of economic growth and prosperity. Over the last decade, our economy has been the fastest growing in Europe, with foreign investment contributing hugely to this growth,” he said.
”We recognise this investment is based on a number of factors, including our knowledge, flexibility, innovation and connectedness; all attributes shared to a huge degree by Northern Ireland and the people who live here,” he added.
He told executives their attendance at the conference would hopefully provide them with a ‘wonderful insight into all Northern Ireland has to offer.’
“You will discover a young, educated and hard-working people, determined to leave the past in the past and hungry to embrace the opportunity of the future.You will discover a dynamic region well-placed to take advantage of its links to the rest of the island, to Britain and to Europe,” he said.
He added he believed when the history was written of the early twenty-first century that the progress in Northern Ireland ‘would rank as one of the most remarkable successes of our times.’
“Those who help and inspire Northern Ireland to go beyond peace to deep and enduring prosperity will be making a genuinely significant contribution,” he said.
Mr Cowen outlined his commitment to economic collaboration between North and South saying the Irish Government’s investment in cross-border projects under the National Development Plan was set to exceed USD1 billion.
He said the support of European Commission President Barroso for the conference and the ongoing engagement of the European Task Force on Northern Ireland was evidence of a new and flourishing partnership between Northern Ireland and the European Union.