The Minister for Foreign Affairs and Trade, Charles Flanagan, yesterday hosted a reception at Iveagh House to welcome delegates and guests to the 2016 Meeting of the Small Advanced Economies Initiative (SAEI).

The Small Advanced Economies Initiative (SAEI) is a collaboration between Denmark, Finland, Ireland, Israel, New Zealand, Singapore and Switzerland. Initiated by the New Zealand Government in June 2012, it is a network of senior officials who confer on and share insights in three key areas: (1) Science and Innovation; (2) Economic Policy; (3) Foreign Affairs/International Issues.

Ireland is due to host the next plenary meeting of the SAEI at Dublin Castle between 6th and 8th September 2016. The Department of Foreign Affairs and Trade is organizing the event in close collaboration with Science Foundation Ireland and the Department of Jobs, Enterprise and Innovation.

Ireland will present on policies across all streams as well as plenary sessions on managing relations with large states and entities and civil discontent with globalization.

The meeting will also include input from the OECD as well as a demonstration by Fab Labs Ireland, a network of community-based laboratories that gives individuals and enterprises to access to a range of advanced digital manufacturing technologies.

The agenda for the upcoming meeting is wide-ranging, covering, among others, topics such as relations with large states and entities, civil society discontent with globalization, climate change, research and development, economic competitiveness, and the role of the diaspora.

Minister Flanagan commented, "Given the breadth of challenges and opportunities that we currently face as a small nation, it is an opportune time to welcome policymakers from fellow small advanced economies here to Dublin to confer on our experiences, share knowledge and identify common concerns."

Source: www.businessworld.ie