A French delegation headed by Mr. Bernard Soulage , Vice President of the Rhône-Alpes region and responsible for European and international relations, visited the Bethlehem Industrial Estate and meet with the Chairman of the Board of Directors of the Bethlehem Multidisciplinary Industrial Park , Dr. Samir Hazboun , where the delegation was briefed on the latest achievements and plans of the industrial Estate; basic and essential services that will be available to encourage local and foreign investors and develop trade relations and joint French Palestinian cooperation emphasizing that  developer has already begun the onsite infrastructure works of phase 1, in order to accommodate more than a dozen factories which will create jobs.

In addition he updated the delegation about the latest agreement with the Arab Islamic Bank to provide banking and financial services to investors in BIE and the surrounding villages, and the signing of a memorandum of understanding with the Bethlehem Joint Service Council for  Solid Waste Management , and that the offsite infrastructure works almost finished and that PIEFZA (Palestinian Industrial Estate and Free Zone Authority) will start soon the realization of the access road leading to BIE.

Mr. Jean-Pierre Baillot , director of Entreprise Rhône-Alpes International expressed his readiness to cooperate in the field of the expertise in French economic development and business development , including the exchange of experience with industrial facilities established or to be established in the Bethlehem Industrial Estate and enhance attractiveness of international trade and to encourage joint French Palestinian ventures .

  The representative of the National Institute for Solar Energy , (Institut National de l'Énergie Solaire) have expressed his desire to establish a training and research center as reference in the field of solar energy research where the company intends to build a solar energy project to supply part of the needs of the Bethlehem Industrial Estate and the factories on site from alternative energy with the aim to ease the cost of production .

The French delegation also included the representative of the CGPME, Mrs. Pamela Thomas, an organization representing 40000 owners of companies , institutions and associations of small and medium-sized for the purpose of promoting joint ventures.
The two sides discussed many things , including joint action to attract foreign investment , especially French ones , and cooperation in the field of marketing .
The French delegation was accompanied by Mr.Imad Neimer and Ibrahim Khader , Chairman and General Manager of the Business Club in France and the meeting was attended by the Saqr Jerashi member of the Board of Directors and Elie Shehadeh project manager of the BMIP.

The visit has been organized by the Mission of Palestine in France represented by Safwat Ibraghit - first counselor of the embassy and Joumana Yahya responsible economic relations and the French Development Agency represented by its country director Bruno Juet .