The Taoiseach is due to travel to the United States today to address the Kennedy School of Government at Harvard University in Boston.
It is the first stop in his three-day visit. Mr Ahern is also to meet with US President Mr George W Bush and United Nations Secretary-General Kofi Annan for talks in Washington.
Mr Ahern will tell his audience at Harvard that it is only through the full and inclusive operation of the institutions that the future of a new society in Northern Ireland can be achieved and maintained.
Yesterday Mr Ahern praised the Alliance Party and the Women’s Coalition for their "generous and courageous" step in redesignating some of their members as unionist, which led to the re-election of Mr David Trimble as First Minister of Northern Ireland.
He said it was now important to move ahead with the full implementation of the Belfast Agreement adding: "stable, uninterrupted and inclusive government is essential for Northern Ireland".
Mr Ahern’s Boston address is also expected to outline the Irish perspective on the international effort to combat terrorism and humanitarian concerns in Afghanistan which have arisen since military strikes began.