PRESIDENT MARY McAleese begins a State visit to Russia today in an attempt to build business links and cultural relations between the countries.
She will hold a meeting with Russian president Dmitry Medvedev in the Kremlin on Thursday and the visit will also include a number of engagements in Moscow and St Petersburg.
On her arrival, Mrs McAleese will make a courtesy call on mayor of Moscow Yury Luzhkov. Tonight she will address an Enterprise Ireland dinner and will attend a business network breakfast tomorrow morning.
She will also lay a wreath at the Tomb of the Unknown Soldier and meet Patriarch Kirill of the Russian Orthodox Church during her visit to Moscow.
Minister of State for Trade and Commerce Billy Kelleher yesterday led 30 Irish firms on a week-long trade mission to Russia to coincide with the president’s visit.
Russia is Europe’s largest emerging market.
Irish exports to the country grew by more than 66 per cent in the first five months of this year.
The trade mission has been organised by Enterprise Ireland which has set up meetings for the Irish firms with existing and potential customers and partners.
The 30 firms are working in sectors including engineering, construction, food and drink, education and business services. Half of them are in the information communications technology (ICT) and services sectors. Ireland is the seventh-largest provider of foreign direct investment to Russia ahead of the US and Japan.
Enterprise Ireland chief executive Frank Ryan said Irish products and services were well matched to the opportunities arising in Russia through the expanding Russian economy and development of the Russian telecommunications, banking and services sectors.
Mrs McAleese’s trip will also aim to build on links between Russian and Irish nanotechnology companies.
Tomorrow she will address the Russia-Ireland Forum on Nanotechnology, which is supported by Science Foundation Ireland. A separate event is being organised for the Irish higher education sector to build contacts with Russian colleges.
Before leaving for St Petersburg on Thursday, Mrs McAleese will address the Diplomatic Academy of Foreign Affairs.
Her engagements in St Petersburg include a visit to the memorial to the siege of Leningrad and an address to St Petersburg State University of Economics. She will also attend a lunch hosted by governor of St Petersburg Valentina Matvienko. She will visit Catherine Palace before leaving St Petersburg on Saturday.
Mrs McAleese will be accompanied by her husband, Dr Martin McAleese.
