US and Irish trade partnership to expand

INITIATIVES to expand trade and investment and create US-Irish partnerships between the United States, Northern Ireland, and the Republic of Ireland were announced at the US-Ireland summit in Washington DC yesterday.

US Secretary of Health and Human services Tommy Thompson revealed plans for a business mission to Ireland on biotechnology, while Dr Andrew von Eschenbach, Director of the National Cancer Institute and Dr Rita Colwell Director of the National Science Foundation, both announced collaborative efforts to foster research and development with their Irish counterparts.

Bringing together over 400 leaders from industry, academia, and politics the summit is focussing on three sectors-biotechnology, information and communication technology (ICT), and financial services.