VN-Algeria trade cooperation promoted

VNGOVNet – Deputy Prime Minister Trương Vĩnh Trọng gave a cordial reception in the afternoon of December 20 at the head office of the Government to Algerian Minister of Small and Medium Enterprises and Handicrafts Mustapha Benbada who is visiting Vietnam under the framework of the Minutes of the 7th Session of the Inter-governmental Committee.

December 21, 2006 7:43 AM GMT+7

Deputy PM Trương Vĩnh Trọng receives Algerian Minister Mustapha Benbada – Photo: VNGOVNet

At the reception, Deputy PM Trương Vĩnh Trọng showed his gladness of the achievements gained by the two countries over the past time. He was convinced that Mr. Mustapha Benbada’s visit to Vietnam will open a new and great development direction of strengthening economic, scientific and technical cooperation between the two countries. The Deputy PM informed that, in 2006, the two-way trade turnover reached nearly US$15 million, increasing by 18% against the same period last year. At present, Vietnamese enterprises are proactively cooperating with Algerian partners. PetroVietnam is implementing the Exploration Project (stage 2) in Algeria. The Viglacera Ceramics Company is building a factory to produce bricks and sanitary ware in this northern African country. Vietnamese enterprises are exporting traditional agro-products to Algeria, including rice, coffee, pepper, and cashew-nuts.

Minister Mustapha Benbada expressed his gratitude to the Vietnamese Government and people for their good sentiments to the Algerian Government and people. He said that the gains achieved by Vietnamese and Algerian business over the past time prove close cooperation and increased economic and trade promotion between the two countries. He expressed his hope that in the time to come, Algeria will import agro-products directly from Vietnam, not via a third country. He recommended that Vietnam could import from Algeria chemical fertilizers and olive oil.

By Hoàng Nguyên Hồ