UK and Republic of Ireland Ministers launch their joint trade cooperation at Arab Health Dubai
Government Ministers from the UK and Ireland hosted a joint reception showcasing growing healthcare industries on the 27th January in Dubai.
Arab Health
The UK was represented by Lord Howe, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Quality at the Department of Health and Northern Ireland’s Enterprise, Trade and Investment Minister, Arlene Foster, while Ireland was represented by Super Junior Minister of State for Business and Employment, Gerald Nash.
The reception was attended by around 300 guests, including representatives of UK and Irish companies and stakeholders within the UAE healthcare sector.
This joint initiative – which brought together during Arab Health the very best in healthcare from the UK and Ireland - was born out of an agreement by Prime Minister David Cameron and Taoiseach Enda Kenny in 2012 to find ways to strengthen further the bilateral relationship. This included taking the strong bilateral trade relationship between the UK and Ireland to the next level by working together to capitalise on global opportunities.
Speaking at the event, Lord Howe, Parliamentary Under Secretary of State for Quality at the UK’s Department of Health, said:
This initiative is not just about celebrating what has been achieved, it is about renewing and strengthening the co-operation between our two countries. So it feels very appropriate that we have a joint presence here in Dubai during Arab Health.
Gerald Nash, the Republic of Ireland’s Super Junior Minister of State for Business and Employment, said:
We want to ‘kick on’ with this economic relationship and look at ways that we can - not only import and export to each other - but to form partnerships, alliances, contract and supply relationships, to supplement skills and support services, and create myriad other ways of working together to find new markets together in third countries.
Arlene Foster, Northern Ireland’s Minister of Enterprise, Trade and Investment, said:
It’s a tremendous privilege and a great honour to represent Northern Ireland as part of this business collaboration for the Life and Health Sciences sector in the UK and Republic of Ireland. The sector is strategically important and I look forward to seeing more success for our companies as we continue to work in partnership to explore new opportunities.
Notes to Editors:
The Photo: Irish Minister Gerald Nash flanked by British Minister Lord Howe and Northern Irish Minister Arlene Foster.
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