ECONOMIC STRATEGY ECONOMIC STRATEGY

ensuring the ongoing internationalisation of the PEACE PLUS Programme, the UK of EDGE Innovate, one of the companies MSW can be achieved. Government’s Shared Prosperity Fund, Innovate represented on the Business Reference Group. UK and other central government funding. The strategy will enable the Mid South West For further information: Email: info@ Region to leverage financial investment from The strategy was launched by First Minister midsouthwestregion.org, visit the website at a range of sources – such as the £250m Arlene Foster MLA and deputy First Minister midsouthwestregion.org or check out Twitter @ Growth Deal funding committed by the UK Michelle O’Neill MLA at a socially-distanced MSW_Region Government and Executive, event held near Dungannon at the premises

THE MSW PILLARS

‘Future proofing’ the skills base •supporting opportunities for regeneration and more besides, including the recent Future proofing the skills base is becoming and site development. announcement of the commitment to the ever more important and was a top priority Game of Thrones Legacy Project. emerging from engagements with businesses Boosting innovation and digital capacity MSW’s aim is to invest in the development of during the development of the regional Advanced manufacturing is one of MSW’s big its tourism product, including cross-border, in economic strategy. MSW wants to ensure success stories and has enormous potential. actions that stimulate/de-risk and expedite the requisite skills are available in scale and The region is placing its ambitions in this area quality hotel investment as well as improving profile to underpin the region’s ambitions into the Northern Ireland-wide ‘ecosystem’ infrastructure for routing/signposting and and those of the successful businesses which and at the centre of what is being discussed visitor engagement. already exist there. within the wider City/Growth Deals (ie the Advanced Manufacturing Innovation Centre The future As well as requiring significant financial in the Region City Deal and the MSW has already engaged extensively with investment, the strategy seeks to drive Centre for Industrial Digitalisation, Robotics businesses and key sectors, with politicians change in four policy areas: and Automation in Derry/Londonderry locally, regionally and nationally, with • access to labour/lobbying for a differentiated City Region). The ambition is to create an central government, with education and the The Mid South West Region migration policy; innovation and skills academy delivered by wider stakeholder community, and that will • policy changes to ‘off-the-shelf’ the South West College in Dungannon. In continue. apprenticeships; relation to agri-food, the impact of the strategy How the business world is critical in helping the Mid South West Regional • extending the range of higher-level is global. The RES will support CAFRE in the “We will continue to work closely with the apprenticeships and degree apprenticeships development of a Northern Ireland Agri-food other Northern Ireland City/Growth Deal Economic Strategy reach its aim of supercharging the region’s economy available in the region; and Robotics Centre at the Loughry Campus and regions to ensure complementarity and to • a greater focus on shared apprenticeship work in collaboration with AFBI to develop take advantage of any synergies which may ompanies have an important role months and years, according to councillor development of the strategy and will continue schemes. a centre for Agri-Tech Innovation. It will exist and continue to welcome the input and to play in supercharging the Mid Robert Irvine, chairman of the Mid South West to play an important roll in its delivery. Our develop agri-food incubation space to support guidance of our industry/business base,” CSouth West’s (MSW) economy as Region Governance Steering Group. ambitions for the Mid South West economy are Enabling Infrastructure food development for smaller SMEs, an area Councillor Irvine explains. “We need their part of a unique collaboration between far reaching, but we are confident that with Investment in infrastructure is critical to drive currently being explored by the Southern continued engagement with this initiative three of Northern Ireland’s most dynamic “Business sits at the heart of this strategy the support of businesses and all stakeholders economic growth across MSW. Strategic Regional College. The strategy also sets out as we move through the next stages in councils. and will be fundamental in ensuring that the in the region they are wholly achievable.” road infrastructure enables businesses in plans to develop a network of Digi-Hubs development. Mid South West’s economy flourishes in the the region to access all areas including ports to support the sector’s growth. In addition That’s the conclusion of the Mid South future,” he said. “We have geared the actions The Mid South West Regional Economic and distribution points. The strategy has to exploring a number of potential health “The collaboration of our three councils West Regional Economic Strategy which has identified in the strategy towards addressing Strategy identifies challenges and opportunities pinpointed where improvements are needed: innovation proposals with the region’s two to develop the Mid South West Regional been developed with the aim of boosting business needs and areas of deficit in order to and sets out four pillars to guide investment the Armagh East Link; the A29 Cookstown leading and acute teaching hospitals, MSW is Economic Strategy is a model of what can productivity across the three council areas provide businesses, that are already proficient, and grow the collective economy. The pillars bypass, the A4 Enniskillen Southern bypass, also exploring a new-build Health and Care be achieved by people working together of Armagh City, Banbridge and Craigavon with the optimum conditions for them to are: future proofing the skills base, enabling as well as the development of the A3 Armagh Centre in Cookstown. for the common good. We are living in truly Borough Council, Fermanagh and maximise their potential, not just locally but infrastructure, boosting innovation and digital North & West Link, the A29 Dungannon life-changing times. In years to come, people District Council and Mid District Council. internationally. By targeting investment we capacity and building a high performing bypass and the A32 Omagh to Enniskillen. Building a high-performing tourism will look back on 2020 and the Coronavirus will reinforce the region’s sectoral strengths in tourism economy. Investment will also be targeted at: economy pandemic and see it as a challenging The input from businesses across a range of manufacturing, engineering, agri-food, health •addressing broadband, mobile coverage and The MSW has a host of tourism offerings: the experience for us all. sectors has been instrumental in helping to and life sciences, tourism and construction as By focusing on those areas, the overriding reliability; Fermanagh Lakes, the Sperrins, our literary shape the strategy by identifying areas where well as in a fast-growing digital tech sector. goals of increasing productivity, driving •transforming our high streets to be places of heritage, the cultural significance of Ireland’s “We want to make it a positive moment in investment is needed to allow them to grow business growth and competitiveness, fully choice for our local communities; oldest city, Armagh, where Patrick established our history. The beginning of something unimpeded and their continued input will be “The Mid South West Business Reference realising sectoral strengths and opportunities, •enabling access to available industrial land; his first church, the Ulster American Folk Park, transformative which builds on the region’s vital as the strategy is rolled out in the coming Group has provided invaluable insight into the creating more and better-paid jobs and •driving investment in electricity supply; and Marble Arch Caves UNESCO Global Geopark creativity and innovation.”

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