Russian official to visit Israel, first since downing of plane in Syria

"I am certain that cooperation between Israel and Russia can advance this field."

OCTOBER 8, 2018 16:13

Updated: OCTOBER 9, 2018 04:34

Maxim Akimov, Russian Deputy Prime Minister responsible for transport and communications, speaks during a session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Russia May 24, 2018 (photo credit: SERGEI KARPUKHIN/REUTERS) — Maxim Akimov, Russian Deputy Prime Minister responsible for transport and communications, speaks during a session of the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum (SPIEF), Russia May 24, 2018

(photo credit: SERGEI KARPUKHIN/REUTERS)

Deputy Prime Minister of Russia Maxim Akimov will meet representatives from the Israeli start-up scene in Jerusalem on Tuesday, ahead of the establishment of the Israel-Russia Chamber of Commerce.

The meeting at the Israel-Russia Business Forum 2018 presents a networking opportunity for men and women working in both Israeli and Russian hi-tech, and aims to strengthen connections between the countries in the fields of medical- and bio-technologies. The meeting will also seek to build research, development and trade partnerships.

The business forum was founded by the Israel-Russia Business Council, headed by Israeli-Russian businessman Temur Ben-Yehuda (Khikhinashvili), and seeks to strengthen economic and commercial ties between the countries. Jerusalem’s Biohouse Hadassah health technology complex will host the meeting. The complex has capacity for approximately 50 medical start-ups, offering office space, conference rooms and common areas.

The establishment of the Israel-Russia Chamber of Commerce is part of the 15th meeting of the Russian-Israeli Joint Committee for Economic and Commercial Cooperation, a two-day event chaired by Akimov and Jerusalem Affairs Minister Ze’ev Elkin.

“There is a real need to broaden networking in the world of technological innovation in the field of medicine,” said Yaki Zinger, founder of Biohouse and LR Group vice president of business development.

“I am certain that cooperation between Israel and Russia will advance this field. The Biohouse network promotes access to market leaders, planning, prototype production and investments, and this will grow in the near future,” Zinger said.

Other issues set to be discussed by the Russian and Israeli teams according to Israel’s Foreign Ministry include matters of trade, continuation of pension payments to Russian immigrants in Israel, sustainable construction, education and agriculture. This year’s meeting will see additional emphasis placed on the field of medical innovation.

“[This is] testimony to the importance of dialogue and the wide accumulation of experience and knowledge for both sides in recent years. We have widened our activity and discourse into new fields,” said Yael Ravia-Zadok, head of the Foreign Affairs Ministry’s economic division.

“This is in addition to the significant growth in trade between the countries, worth approximately $2 billion in 2017, an increase of close to 30% since 2016.”