ABB 2006/7 | Practical Advice | A US/UK partnership case study

On September 17/20 2006, Mayor Anthony A Williams of Washington DC participated in a top level Northern Ireland itinerary with the Rt Hon Patrick McCarthy Lord Mayor of Belfast, senior representatives of Belfast City Council, civic, government, business, education, tourism, sports and cultural leaders.

The objective of the Mayoral and business mission was to assess the potential for a formal Washington DCBelfast Partnership. Its purpose is to advance mutual municipal governance, economic development, trade, investment, commercial, tourism, education, sport and cultural activities; and secure private and voluntary sector support for the overall NI-US objectives for the respective capital cities. The timing of the Mayoral initiative was historic as Belfast City Hall is currently celebrating its Centenary and a 2006/10 Belfast Capital City programme is promoting strategic municipal priorities, wealth creation and expansion of quality of life for citizens.

Tony Culley-Foster President, CFCO International and Chairman, Northern Ireland-United States Chamber of Commerce feels that this is a tale of two terrific cities, which have much in common and are experiencing an urban renaissance as they achieve their potential as vibrant, high growth international capitals. He indicated that through Anglo-Irish American geo-political, business and cultural initiatives, supported by the Clinton and Bush Administrations over the past 13 years, more than 15,000 private, public and voluntary sector leaders from Northern Ireland have visited Washington DC on specific missions that helped advance the prospects of a lasting peace, respect for individual differences, community reconciliation, economic prosperity and a better tomorrow for this and future generations in Northern Ireland.

In addition, Presidents Clinton and Bush, and thousands of Washington DC representatives have visited Belfast since 1993, so the foundation is solid for a formal business driven Partnership between the capital cities. For example, in 2005 there were approximately two million visitors to Northern Ireland, including a record number of Americans. Each city is undergoing explosive expansion at unprecedented and sustained levels.

They have metro areas that are among the fastest growing regional economies in the US and UK. Both cities have urban populations of about 700,000 and major community, downtown and waterfront development programmes that favourably impact on residents, workers and tourists alike. Belfast and Washington have young, well-educated and motivated labour forces and outstanding Universities and Continuing Education Colleges. Some of the brightest and best regional and international students are attracted to these institutions and work in the government and business sectors.

As people in 2006/10 discover the new Belfast and Washington DC, they will increasingly experience stable communities, unemployment at historic lows, investment at unprecedented highs, a quality lifestyle and record tourism. Education is a critical factor in each capital’s success strategy. Queen’s University, Belfast has recently formed a strategic partnership with Georgetown University; the University of Ulster is establishing an academic link with another DC based University and the Belfast Institute of Further and Higher Education is seeking a partnership with its leading counterpart in the US capital.

The NI and US Mayors identified key drivers for a successful civic partnership programme:

• Core municipal, citizen and community services
• Economic development, trade, investment and enterprise
• Sharing of international best practice and performance bench marking
• Formation of specialist business, education, tourism, sports and cultural alliances
• Expansion of a business incubation and smallmedium enterprise corporate culture driven by trade, export and commercialisation of intellectual property (IP), Manufacturing Under License Agreements (MULA’s) and Joint Ventures and strategic partnerships
• Increased regional and international promotion of cultural icons/landmarks

Mayor McCarthy and Councilor Michael Brown, Chairman of Belfast City Council’s Economic Development Committee stated “ Our aim is to use the development of a Trans Atlantic relationship between the capital cities of Northern Ireland and the United States to promote economic, business, civic, academic and cultural links, that would result in collaboration and synergies on a range of important community, municipal and business expansion issues.”

On the conclusion of Mayor William’s NI itinerary, a formal signing of a “Declaration of Intent to Establish a Belfast-Washington DC Partnership” was conducted at a civic reception in Belfast City Hall. It focused on the following project development priorities:

• Establishment of public, private and voluntary sector Steering Committees in Belfast and Washington DC to work with representatives of the two municipalities to develop a 2007 strategic plan to advance the short term priorities of the Partnership.’
• A reciprocal visit to Washington DC in March 2007 by Lord Mayor McCarthy and representatives of Belfast City Council to further advance the Washington DC-Belfast Partnership and support the launch of a four-month series of NI-US special events leading up to the June/July 2007 Smithsonian Folk Life Festival on the Mall in Washington DC.
• Promotion of Northern Ireland’s participation as a global region in the summer 2007 Smithsonian Folk Life Festival in America’s capital city, an event that attracts up to 1.5 million US and international attendees.
• Exploration of a series of two way trade, investment and commercial missions.

Mayor Williams said, “I see Belfast as a peaceful, progressive and prosperous European capital city that is on the up”. Like Washington DC, Belfast is raising its citizens’ hope, vision and expectations for what can be realistically accomplished through co-operative government, business and community partnerships. The Partnership is a ‘win-win-win’ success proposition for the respective municipalities, businesses and communities, as each city establishes itself as a truly world class capital”.

Tony Culley-Foster facilitated the ‘NI - US Capital Connection’ with Tim Losty, Director of the Northern Ireland Bureau, Washington DC, Mark Touhey, Partner Vinson & Elkins LLC, Steve Mungavin, Senior Consultant, CIPFA, Belfast & the economic development & international affairs executives of each municipality. CFCO International advocates corporate social responsibility, cause related marketing & international private-public-voluntary alliances to help build business driven Trans Atlantic bridges.

For further information please contact:
Tony R. Culley-Foster,
President, CFCO International
1919 Pennsylvania Avenue,
NW, Suite 200, Washington,
D.C. 20006
Tel (202) 828-9832
Fax (202)-223-2278
Email: tfc@cfcointl.com
Website: www.cfcointl.com

All pages are copyright © of Roxby Media Ltd. American British Business is a Roxby Media publication - Disclaimer