The portal is useful for all participants, Minister Dirk Niebel said at the launch ceremony. For those who formerly studied in Germany, it provides them with opportunities to set up their own information network. For Germany, it means being able to develop its economic, educational and cultural policies and its cooperative relations with Vietnam.

The portal at www.alumniportal-deutschland.org was launched at a conference on development assistance for networks via portal for former students in Germany from other countries, which was held in Hanoi on March 8-9, as part of activities to celebrate the “Germany Year in Vietnam” and “Vietnam Year in Germany” in 2010, as well as the 35^th anniversary of the establishment of the two countries’ diplomatic ties.

During the two-day conference, Vietnamese and German participants will focus their discussions on opportunities for former Vietnamese students, prospects for cooperation between the two countries, and bilateral cooperation on the environment and tertiary education.

About 80,000 Vietnamese people currently live in Germany and about 100,000 others now in Vietnam used to live in Germany.

On the occasion, Minister Dirk Niebel revealed that the German Government will provide an additional 7 million EUR to help Vietnam boost its socio-economic development.

According to the Ministry of Planning and Investment, Germany has shifted the focus of its aid to large-scale infrastructure projects, including a project to build the metro line No. 2 in Ho Chi Minh City.

In addition, the German Government is giving priority to projects on mitigation of climate change in the Mekong Delta, bio-diversity preservation, urban development and waste water and waste treatment.