Addressing Edinburgh Chamber of Commerce at its breakfast-time annual general meeting, he said the Capital would continue to flourish by playing to its strengths.

And he told the chamber he could "guarantee" the Scottish Government would fully support efforts to help Edinburgh go from strength to strength.

He said: "Edinburgh is rich in economic assets. The city is a world-renowned tourist destination, one of Europe's foremost financial services centres and is home to a growing cutting-edge life sciences industry.

"On top of that, the labour market in the Capital continues to perform robustly and the signs are that the property market in Scotland continues to show greater resilience than elsewhere in the UK."

Mr Swinney said it would be foolish to dismiss the effects of the global economic downturn, both on Scotland and on Edinburgh.

"We can't isolate ourselves from international financial conditions."

But he said: "By playing to our clear strengths here in Scotland and in Edinburgh, I am convinced we are well placed to weather the new challenges we are facing and emerge stronger than before.

"If we redouble efforts to work together and promote Edinburgh as a great place to do business and to visit, we can ensure the Capital's economy continues to grow."

He welcomed the setting up of the new Business Improvement District, Essential Edinburgh, and said he looked forward to a similar BID project based on the city's tourism industry.

And he went on: "I can guarantee the Government will fully support your efforts to help Edinburgh go from strength to strength. We have already slashed business rates for small business across the city and refocused our enterprise networks and tourism agency to ensure they make the maximum possible contribution to economic growth.

"On top of that, we'll continue to look at how we can make sure the planning system operates with the efficiency and certainty needed to support economic growth.

"And we'll continue to push Westminster to act on the cost of fuel – an issue I know effects business of all sizes. By working together, I believe we can make Edinburgh, and Scotland, a more successful place."

Chamber chief executive Ron Hewitt said as Scotland's economic development engine Edinburgh had a heavy responsibility for Scotland's economic wellbeing.

And he emphasised the need to encourage new investment.

He said: "Despite the credit crunch, there are many funds holding billions of pounds that could be invested in Scotland. We are working hard to ensure that the city and the country creates the conditions to attract our share of that investment."

But he said there was still work to do. "In spite of the evidence from economists around the world that metro regions are the new drivers of national wealth, the development of a truly integrated economic strategy, transport infrastructure and unified partnership across the city region remains 'work in progress'. It is plain that our ability to compete with the growing family of world cities depends upon it."