Northern Ireland Minister brings trade mission to Brazil
In charge of enterprise, trade and investment affairs, Arlene Foster begins visit to Brazil in Recife.
On Monday 20 May, Arlene Foster, Minister for Enterprise, Trade and Investment in Northern Ireland arrives in Recife. She is bringing a group of companies from her country to seek partnerships and business in Brazil.
Minister Foster said:
Companies in Northern Ireland have a history of innovation, knowledge in high technology engineering and entrepreneurial creativity and, facing global competition, they are being successful in selling for international markets. Whether by visiting, working or studying in one of our universities, which are among the best in the world, Northern Ireland has a lot to offer.
The mission, organised by the office of Invest Northern Ireland, is a real opportunity to publicise Northern Ireland’s innovations in terms of products and services and to establish and develop international partnerships and collaboration between Northern Ireland and Brazil.
I am certain that this mission will result in greater trade cooperation, which will build and develop lucrative and lasting trade relations that benefit both Northern Ireland and Brazil”, says the Minister.
The schedule begins with a meeting of representatives of Queen’s University in Belfast, one of the biggest universities in Northern Ireland, and local Universities (UFPE, UPE, UNICAP, UNINASSAU) as well as representatives from the Department of Science and Innovation, to discuss the Science without Borders programme and the academic cooperation between them.
On Tuesday (21) they shall visit the Port of Suape and the Industrial Complex to debate the synergy between Northern Ireland and the potential trade connections that may be developed in Recife. Subsequently, the Minister shall have lunch with the State Government Secretary, Milton Coelho.
In the afternoon there will be a visit to the Digital Port, and the Minister will meet with representatives of the Digital Port and other IT companies in the area to discuss possible unions with creatives and the software cluster of Northern Ireland.
The dinner with public authorities should focus on tourism. The demand for tourism has increased in Northern Ireland due to the HBO TV series Game of Thrones, which is filmed in the country and is a huge success in Brazil.
On Wednesday afternoon, the Minister shall go to Sao Paulo, where she will visit the Hospital Fair, which will have a British pavilion with 21 companies, including the four from Northern Ireland.
More information and service to the press
British Consulate General / UK Trade & Investment
Adriana Masetti, Communications Assistant
E: adriana.masetti@fco.gov.uk
T: (11) 3094-2724