Minister of Energy at the Prime Minister's Office Pehin Major General (Rtd) Dato Hj Mohammad Hj Daud (2nd R) and French Ambassador Louis Le Vert cut a cake to mark the French National Day yesterday. Picture: BT/Zamri Zainai

Bandar Seri Begawan - The Brunei Investment Agency (BIA) has acquired a prime property next to the BIAcontrolled Hotel Plaza Athenee in Paris to expand the capacity of the famous landmark, French Ambassador to Brunei Louis Le Vert yesterday said during the reception for the French National Day.

The envoy said that such investment has been "welcomed warmly" by the French government as it shows BIA's confidence in the city of Paris as a travel destination. He didn't give other details.

Le Vert also said French oil giant Total has developed a new reservoir of oil and condensates, 50km off the Brunei coast, drilling at a depth of 5,850m in spite of high pressure and temperature.

Three other French firms, he said, have obtained contracts to participate in Brunei development projects:

• VSL Brunei, a unit of French industrial group Bouygues, will be taking part in the renovation of nine mad bridges with other Bruneian firms.
• Schneider Electric, a French provider of electricity and automation management services, will be providing water treatment services at the Mangkubau water reservoir.
• French electronics maker Thales, which is already involved in 90 per cent of air traffic control at the Brunei airport, will supply a primary surveillance radar.

Commenting on the new links between the Universiti Brunei Darussalam (UBD) and the French academic community, Le Vert said this was in keeping with His Majesty's intention to diversify the educational experiences of Bruneian students.

"I am very glad that two French students will also be attending classes at UBD as exchange students, either next year or the year after, whereby they will have the opportunity to pick up the unique Malay language widely spoken in Brunei," the ambassador said.

Three Bruneian students are now studying in French universities and two more will attend summer courses on French.

Present at the reception was the Minister of Energy at the Prime Ministers Office Pehin Orang Kaya Seri Dewa Major General (Rtd) Dato Seri Pahlawan Hj Mohammad Hj Daud as guest of honour.

Other guests included high ranking government officials from various ministries and government departments, senior business representatives as well as ambassadors and high commissioners from other foreign missions in Brunei.

The reception commenced with the playing of the national anthems of Brunei and France, followed by a cake-cutting ceremony.

The celebrations took place at The Empire Hotel & Country Club's Indera Kayangan Ballroom.

-- Courtesy of The Brunei Times

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