Vietnam hopes to increase and further expand cooperation with Algeria in various fields, especially in trade, investment, energy and labour, for mutual benefit and development.

This was said by Prime Minister Nguyen Tan Dung while receiving Algerian Minister of Industry Development and Investment Promotion Amara Benyounes in Hanoi on January 9.

The guest is on a working visit to Vietnam to attend the 10 th session of the Vietnam-Algeria Intergovernmental Committee that opened on January 8 in the capital.

Highlighting the sound traditional friendship and similarities shared by Vietnam and Algeria, the PM suggested both countries press ahead with all-level delegation exchanges to agree on specific cooperative programmes and raise two-way trade higher than the current figure of 130 million USD.

The Vietnamese leader said he hopes both sides will work together on regional and international forums.

He asked the Vietnam-Algeria intergovernmental committee to further promote its role in speeding up bilateral multi-faceted collaboration.

Benyounes reiterated Algeria’s consistent policy of enhancing cooperative ties with Vietnam in various fields, particularly in economics.

He said his country will create favourable conditions for Vietnamese businesses to explore investment opportunities in Algeria and facilitate bilateral trade activities.

He suggested both sides promote people-to-people exchanges to increase their mutual understanding and affiliation.-VNA