County Wexford Chamber President Brendan Crowley and Vice President Lorcan Kinsella were delighted to welcome Norwegian Ambassador Mari Skåre, French Ambassador Vincent Guérend and Georgian Ambassador George Zurabashvili. They were joined by several business leaders from a range of sectors from the County.
The purpose of the visits was to build upon strong partnerships and collaboration between County Wexford and Norway, France, and Georgia.
After the meetings, Chamber President Brendan Crowley said: “It was great to welcome three Ambassadors in a hectic week for the Chamber. The contribution and engagement from member companies was very welcome, once again demonstrating the positive and progressive nature of the enterprises that drive our economy. This was strongly reflected in the feedback from the individual ambassadors who definitely left with a very positive impression of our county and what we have to offer. Now it’s for us to follow up on potential opportunities identified during our meetings.”
Monday morning saw the arrival o the Norwegian Ambassador Mari Skåre. There were round table discussions on Trade, Tourism, Employment, Sustainability and Education. It was clear that synergies exist in off-shore wind energy and how we can harness each other’s experience. Businesses attended the meeting with substantial expertise in these fields.
The French Ambassador arrived Monday afternoon. Rosslare Port and its development were discussed on how we can build further relations with our nearest European partner. The participation of those in attendance was greatly appreciated. They are serious challenges that need to be addressed before we can leverage the massive opportunity that exists between our two communities.
French Ambassador Vincent Guérend, mentioned the vital importance of the direct ferry links between Rosslare and the French ports. Representatives of the haulage industry discussed possible improvements to ensure smooth and efficient transit through French ports, which the Ambassador was keen to progress.
The French Ambassador was keen to promote that we are now their nearest neighbors within the EU and hoped that we could forge better tourism and educational opportunities between the Normandy region and our County. He specifically referenced the interest of the Mayor of Cherbourg in developing links between our business communities.
We had the pleasure of hosting the Georgian Ambassador, George Zurabashvili, on Friday. His excellency had combined his visit to Wexford to welcome a renowned opera singer from Georgia performing in this year’s Opera Festival. While Georgia enjoys trade agreements with the EU, they hope to become a full member of the union, possibly as early as 2024.
Both parties spoke of the possibilities of recruitment in sectors currently experiencing labour shortages. In addition, the Ambassador was promoting the concept of circular migration, whereby workers could be recruited, selected and vetted in Georgia before taking up employment in Ireland for a period before returning to build their lives in their home countries.
Chamber Vice President Lorcan Kinsella said, “It’s been a fantastic week for County Wexford Chamber, hosting the Norwegian, French and Georgian Ambassadors. Not only did we get to further develop our partnerships with these trade countries, but the opportunity to have local businesses from the County meet them and understand how best to navigate better trading opportunities post-pandemic.
In-depth discussions were held on how we can develop further business in agriculture, tourism, manufacturing, renewable energy, logistics, technology and fisheries. We look forward to meeting all parties again. The future is bright.”
President Brendan Crowley and Vice President Lorcan Kinsella and business leaders with
Norwegian Ambassador Mari Skåre
President Brendan Crowley and Vice President Lorcan Kinsella with
French Ambassador Vincent Guérend
President Brendan Crowley and Vice President Lorcan Kinsella with
