Local hopes for G8 summit
For two days in June, world leaders will gather near Enniskillen for the G8 summit. agendaNi sums up the potential benefits for Northern Ireland and the wider economy.
Northern Ireland will have an unprecedented opportunity to attract political and media attention when the Lough Erne G8 summit takes place on 17-18 June. The G8 comprises the political leaders of the USA, UK, France, Germany, Italy, Japan, Canada and Russia.
The EU will be represented by Commission President José Manuel Barroso, European Council President Herman van Rompuy and Taoiseach Enda Kenny, as President of the Council of the European Union.
Three Northern Ireland politicians with a close interest in foreign affairs shared their hopes for the summit with agendaNi.
UUP MEP Jim Nicholson said that the choice of Fermanagh was “a true recognition of how far we have come as a society” and was sure that the leaders will experience Northern Ireland’s world renowned hospitality.
“Advancing trade is a priority for me in the Parliament where I support moves towards a number of free trade agreements, particularly with the US and Japan,” he remarked. “I hope the G8 will build upon this. However, the G8 must also tackle growing tax fraud around the world and work towards stamping out tax havens which detriment our economies and let some of the richest companies and individuals off with some of the lowest tax bills known.”
SDLP MP Mark Durkan stated that the G8 needed to deliver “strategic economic co-ordination and intervention” and a framework for steady growth alongside responsible debt management.
“That entails recognising drive sectors and drag factors so that a strategy for stimulus has pace, direction and prospect,” he explained. “It is not clear if co-ordination to curb aggressive tax avoidance globally will live up even to the thin rhetoric from George Osborne. Recent gestures of better tax manners from some companies do n ot obviate the need for action.”
In particular, he was seeking new curbs on financial institutions playing in futures and commodity indices. Commodity price surges in fuel, food and key materials were “hurting competition and consumption.”
David Ford, meanwhile, focused on the investment and tourism opportunities for Northern Ireland. As many of the leaders would be making their first visit to region, they needed to get “the best possible impression” during their stay.
The G8 was an opportunity for Northern Ireland to “open doors and ensure that we are on their minds in future economic deals.” Ford added: “There is a real need to show to the Prime Minister, President Obama and others that we are committed to building a more stable Northern Ireland to attract this investment.”
The DUP and Sinn Féin were unavailable to comment. DUP MP Nigel Dodds, though, has called on the UK Government to host a G8 investment conference this autumn, to follow up on economic opportunities from the summit.
“It would be a fantastic opportunity to outline the regional proposition and the great advantages of investing in the province,” he added. David Cameron said that he would “welcome plans” for an investment conference but the UK Government expects the Executive to take the lead.
Sinn Féin members have participated in protest movements against previous G8 summits and the party has given only a guarded welcome to the summit.
“The G8 is, by definition, an exclusive group. Its focus is on the interests of a small group of nations,” said Fermanagh MLA Phil Flanagan. “Locating the G8 summit on the island of Ireland will not, I suspect, bring any relief to the economic difficulties we are facing on this island.”
Martin McGuinness later issued a more positive response: “I hope G8 leaders when they come to Fermanagh will recognise and accept the need to do something deep and profound to assist people, many millions of whom are the poorest on the planet today.”
