Algiers (VNA) – Algerian Minister of Tourism and Craft Industry AbdelkaderBenmessaoud on July 26 received Vietnamese Ambassador Pham Quoc Tru in Algiers,who came to discuss expanding cooperation between the two countries,particularly in tourism.

Speaking at themeeting, the two officials emphasised the need to accelerate the implementationof the memorandum of understanding (MoU) in tourism inked between Vietnam andAlgeria in 2015.

Under the MoU,the two countries agreed to make efforts to strengthen cooperation in tourisminvestment, hospitality education and other areas. They also agreed toestablish ties between their travel firms and promote tourist destinations byfacilitating two-way tourism exchange, fostering experience exchange andbusiness-to-business meetings between tour operators and tourism investors fromthe two sides.

Algeria andVietnam share many similarities with a strong bond and long-standingfriendship, said Minister Benmessaoud.

He expressedhis great affection for Vietnam and lauded Vietnam’s revolutionary victory andwhat the country has achieved in national reconstruction and economicdevelopment, especially in the field of tourism.

Algeria isstriving to develop tourism and craft industries to diversify its economy, theminister noted, adding that tourism will become a pillar in the country’seconomy.

He expressedhis desire to deepen the bilateral partnership for Algeria to learn fromVietnam’s experience in developing tourism and craft industries.

Ambassador PhamQuoc Tru praised the achievements of the Algerian government in restoring peaceand developing the country. The Vietnamese diplomat also spoke highly ofAlgeria’s potential for tourism development and expected the two countries willbolster ties in this sector.

The two sideslater agreed to hold a Vietnam – Algeria tourism cooperation forum thisNovember in Algiers alongside the first meeting of the joint committee forsupervision of bilateral tourism cooperation between the two countries.

Tru has beenactive in looking for closer trade and investment links between Vietnam andAlgerian provinces. Earlier this month, he visited Setif province where he washosted by Chairman of Setif provinceNacer Maaskri. The two sides expresseddesire to elevate economic ties to a new height, and agreed to step upcooperation in trade, industry, agriculture, labour and tourism.

They alsolooked to set up twin relationsbetween Setif and a Vietnamese locality in the near future.

Last year, two-way trade between Vietnam and Algeria hit 360million USD. Vietnam’s exports to Algeria rose to 281 million USD in 2017 from233 million USD in 2015, making Algeria its third largest export market inAfrica.

However, Algeria’s new import policy for 2018 which bans morethan 850 products from entering the country, including those from Vietnam,is causing many challenges for Vietnamese exporters.

According to the Vietnamese Commercial Office, Vietnam’s exports of manykey items like mobile phones, confectionery, cereals, fruits and vegetables,plastic products, iron, steel and ceramics, are likely to be hampered by thismove. –VNA