First Minister Michelle O’Neill has pointed to the considerable opportunities created by the north’s “unique” dual market access as she urged US companies to invest in the region.
The Sinn Féin Stormont leader insisted the return of power-sharing was interconnected to economic growth and attracting more foreign direct investment.
She made the pitch to the NI Bureau Breakfast at the Waldorf Astoria Hotel in Washington DC alongside DUP deputy First Minister Emma Little-Pengelly.
Their comments came after they attended a major dinner for Irish Americans in the US capital.
The leaders are in the US ahead of St Patrick’s Day engagements in the city.
Addressing the Ireland Funds national gala on Wednesday evening, they proclaimed that Northern Ireland is “open for business”.
Ms O’Neill told the breakfast gathering that she and Ms Little-Pengelly were determined to work together to create “hope and opportunity”.
She added: “Peace, stability and economic opportunity are all interconnected. And the onus is on all of us as political leaders to work together, to work with each other and to ensure that we work with all of you and we are determined to do that.
Ms Little-Pengelly said Northern Ireland “has come such an incredibly long way”.
“I know that so many in this room will recognise that, because I know so many in this room have been involved for many, many decades,” she said.
Reflecting on the event, Taoiseach Leo Varadkar said the joint appearance of Ms O’Neill and Ms Little-Pengelly was a “powerful” personification of the Good Friday Agreement institutions back working again.
