A special panel of US business experts is to help boost the Northern Ireland economy, Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said today.

Mrs Clinton revealed that the group of more than a dozen US businessmen and women will offer their expertise to help create jobs.

But the Secretary of State told an audience at Queen's University in Belfast that US economic investment in the region was a win/win situation that brought benefits to both sides of the Atlantic.

Mrs Clinton said that the panel of experts will work alongside a Northern Ireland business delegation to help support the efforts of the US Special Economic Envoy to Northern Ireland, Declan Kelly.

"They will be meeting regularly," she said.

"They will help Declan develop strategies that can be pursued, that can be mutually beneficial, and will contribute to the recovery of the global economy."

Mrs Clinton added: "In the past 18 months the Northern Ireland economy has been sturdier than many others.

"The people of Northern Ireland have remained competitive, in part because of their skills, their education and their work ethic."

The Secretary of State catalogued the record of international investment in Northern Ireland and highlighted the continuing desire of the United States to support the peace process through economic investment.

Mrs Clinton said a leading US healthcare communications company was planning a software design centre for Belfast.

She welcomed plans for a conference in the city which is set to attract leading technology companies based in Silicon Valley.

And while Mrs Clinton did not make any announcement of fresh investment she said she looks forward to new opportunities emerging in the future.

"Now, these efforts to promote greater partnership are win/win," she said.

"We often talk about investment in Northern Ireland but we have also got thousands of jobs created back in the States because of Northern Ireland investment."

Mrs Clinton held a private meeting with representatives of the Northern Ireland business community for almost an hour at Queen's, before continuing with her other Belfast engagements.

The University's president and vice chancellor Professor Peter Gregson welcomed Mrs Clinton to the campus for what was her fifth visit.

He underlined the University's continued commitment to building on its links with the US and pledged its commitment to supporting economic development in Northern Ireland.

The newly formed working group had its first meeting at Queen's University under the joint chairmanship of Mrs Clinton and Stormont Enterprise Minister Arlene Foster.

The group was brought together by Declan Kelly, the recently appointed Irish-born US Economic Envoy to Northern Ireland.

Ms Foster said afterwards: "Companies across the globe will not stand still in their quest to seek out profitable investments and Northern Ireland must therefore continue to inform decision makers that this region remains an excellent proposition for US companies."

It was announced on the eve of the Clinton visit that NaviNet, the US's largest real-time healthcare communications company, was setting up an R&D centre in Belfast creating 60 jobs.

The minister said a key part of the company's decision to locate in Northern Ireland had been the quality and skills available.

Ms Foster said: "The US has played an important role in Northern Ireland's growth and development, bringing significant change to trade and investment opportunities here."

She added: "While these are, of course, exceptionally challenging times for Northern Ireland, and indeed right across the globe, the US continues to be a key trade and investment partner for us.

"Over 14,000 people are employed in US companies in Northern Ireland and North America is our second largest export market after the Republic of Ireland."