This is pursuant to a number of bilateral agreements signed by Chancellor of Germany Angela Merkel and the Prime Minister of Israel Ehud Olmert, following inter-governmental consultations in Israel.
Highlights of these bilateral agreements include:
Economics
Israeli-German Investment and Venture Capital Events will take place within the next months and illustrate options for upgrading investment, in areas such as environmental technologies and energy. Both sides agreed to initiate joint projects to promote companies from both countries as leaders in energy efficiency.
Environment
Federal Minister for the Environment, Nature Conservation and Nuclear Safety Sigmar Gabriel and Environment Minister Gideon Ezra agreed to bilateral climate-change cooperation, which will focus on institutional capacity-building, professional training, the establishment of a voluntary greenhouse-gas accounting system and advancing programmatic Clean Development Mechanism (CDM) Projects.
The joint consultations included an environment forum with Federal Minister Gabriel, Minister Ezra and Israeli and German businessmen in order to facilitate a prompt start to this important common effort concerning climate change.
Water Management
In the field of water supply and distribution the two delegations discussed options for cooperation. One important reference point is Israel's experience through Mashav, the Center for International Cooperation within the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, regarding water and irrigated agriculture in arid and semi-arid regions and Germany's strong commitment, in particular towards water supply.
