A forum to further scientific and technological cooperation between Vietnam and Israel took place in Hanoi on January 18, drawing the participation of close to 160 businesses from both countries.

Speaking at this first forum of its kind in Vietnam, Vice Chairman of the Vietnam Chamber of Commerce and Industry (VCCI) Pham Gia Tuc, stated that the Vietnamese government sees Israel as an important partner in its policy to boost multi-faceted cooperation with countries in the Middle East.

While stressing that Israel is one of the world’s leading countries in science and technology, Tuc said that in the future the country could be a potential destination for Vietnamese investors.

“VCCI is ready to link up Vietnamese and Israeli enterprises together and will create the best possible conditions for Israeli businesses and scientists to invest and conduct research in Vietnam,” he said.

According to the Israeli Ambassador to Vietnam Amnon Afrat, the Vietnamese-Israeli relationship saw important developments in 2009 with the signing of a series of agreements, including a Financial Protocol and an agreement on Double Taxation Avoidance. Both sides are also currently entering the final negotiations on an agreement on waterways transport.

A similar forum is scheduled to be held in Ho Chi Minh City on January 20

A delegation of Israeli businesses operating in the environment, information technology, telecommunications, electronics, health care and animal husbandry are on a visit from January 17-21 to inquire into the Vietnamese market./.