Middle East presents '˜huge opportunuties for local firms'

Welcoming one such delfrom the United Arab Emirates to the event organised by Invest Northern Ireland he said: “The latest 12 month rolling period from October 2014 to September 2015 show our local exporters sold £241 million in manufactured goods to the Middle East and sales of chemical and related products to Saudi Arabia have increased from £5 - £13.6m from 2010/11, which represents an increase of 167%.

“It is tremendous to see Northern Ireland companies achieving this success in a truly world class market,” he added.

“Representatives of local successful exporting companies will also share their experiences of doing business in the Middle East and expert teams from Invest NI will give advice on how to further develop business opportunities.”

The easing of sanctions in Iran would present further opportunities, he added, while the potential in Qatar linked to investments in infrastructure supporting the delivery of major sports events, such as World Athletics and the Football World Cup, offer unique opportunities for ambitious local firms.

“Recent successes by Antrim Hills, CDE Global and Heartsine are good examples of what can be achieved in this market and my department and Invest NI are fully committed to supporting businesses as they seek contracts in this region and other global markets.”