AQW 15909/22-27

Ms Kate Nicholl
Alliance Party
South Belfast

Tabled Date: 30/09/2024
Answered On Date: 04/10/2024
Priority Written: No

Question:
To ask the Minister for the Economy for an update on progress made by the Northern Ireland Export Forum in relation to setting ambitious targets for 2030 exports.

Answer:

The Export Forum has met regularly since its establishment in April 2023. Recognising the virtuous circle between exporting, innovation and productivity, one of the Forum’s first actions was to agree a stretching ambition to grow external sales intensity (total sales outside of the North as a percentage of Gross Domestic Product) to 60% by 2030, from a baseline of 45% in 2019. Achieving this would place the North amongst the world’s highest performing small advanced economies.