Cuba and international partners strengthen trade and business ties 

The Havana Fair continues to be the largest commercial exchange in the Caribbean. Photo: Ricardo López Hevia

The Havana International Fair, FIHA-2024, strengthens business alliances with commercial partners and, as a sign of the support that the international business community maintains with the island, the inauguration of the Russian Federation Pavilion took place on Monday, with the presence of the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Party and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez.Viktor Koronelli, Russian ambassador, said that Russian investors are increasingly interested in the development of mutually beneficial joint projects, which at the same time seek to meet the main needs of Cuba.Koronelli expressed that the main areas of interest are in the spheres of energy, industry, tourism, digitalization, among others.For his part, Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga, head of Foreign Trade and Investment (Mincex), thanked Russia for its participation in this fair, and highlighted the extensive cooperation links between the two nations, based on instruments that are signed and ready to be used for the benefit of the countries' businessmen.At another time, during the celebration of the Cuba-Russia Business Forum, the First Deputy Minister of Mincex, Carlos Luis Jorge Méndez, said that this space is an opportunity to strengthen trade ties and explore new avenues of business exchange.He added that Cuba can become a hub for the distribution of Russian products and also, why not, from other member countries of the Eurasian Economic Union to the rest of the nations of Latin America and the Caribbean, as part of the facilities offered by the unilateral bilateral agreements signed by the largest of the Antilles with the countries of the area, within the framework of regional integration organizations.He pondered the important role that the chambers of commerce of both countries can play in stimulating, on the one hand, the presence of Russian companies and entities in sectoral events in Cuba in the period 2024-2025, and on the other hand, the participation of Cuban companies in important events in the Russian Federation."We are confident of achieving better results in bilateral trade, boosting exports of goods and services, with emphasis on those with higher added value. On the other hand, it is urgent to promote collaboration and co-development of investment projects in sectors such as agriculture in general, sugar agriculture, transportation, construction, infrastructure development, health, steel industry and construction materials, among others," he said.The vice-president of the Russian Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Vladimir Padalko, highlighted the brotherhood between the two countries and the long-standing mutual collaboration based on trust and respect.He highlighted the interest in tourism, which is concretized with the arrival of about 200,000 tourists, also due to the incorporation of the use of the Mir cards in the archipelago.He stressed that Cuba is a stable partner suitable for investment. "The Russian regions and the Chamber itself have about a thousand companies that may be interested in investment. We are ready for dialogue to reach concrete collaboration agreements," he said.He added that the trade of agricultural production increased twice thanks to the recognition of food products, so that the Russian pork, beef and chicken producing entities can export without difficulties, although barriers must be eliminated for it to be a continuous process.CHINA IS A STRATEGIC ALLYAt the opening of China Day, the head of the Mincex acknowledged the efforts made by Chinese companies to overcome the difficulties caused by the complex situation generated by the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the US government. In spite of this, they maintain the firm purpose of continuing to evaluate and strengthen economic and commercial ties.In the presence of Deputy Prime Minister Eduardo Martínez Díaz, Pérez-Oliva Fraga thanked, on behalf of the Cuban government and the Ministry, for the support and commitment to the Cuban market, and described as invaluable the contribution of Chinese companies to the development of our nation.He stressed that they will continue to develop alliances through trade and investment and, in this sense, they aspire to achieve participation as a strategic partner in Cuba's Economic and Social Development Plan until 2030, with a special focus on priority sectors for the development of the Cuban economy, such as food production, clean and renewable energies, biotechnology, the sugar industry and projects focused on technological cooperation and the creation of import capacities.IRAN AND CUBA TO MAKE THE MOST OF BUSINESS OPPORTUNITIES"The celebration of the National Day of the Islamic Republic of Iran in Fihav-2024 is a tangible proof of the interest of the governments and business systems of both countries to advance, in the economic and commercial fields, bilateral relations, in the year in which we celebrate the 45th anniversary of their reestablishment."This was stated by Wilfredo González Vidal, First Deputy Minister of Communications, who said that both countries should work together to enhance and take advantage of the opportunities of our economies in all areas, as well as to focus our efforts on the fulfillment of the actions agreed in the Comprehensive Cooperation Program signed between Cuba and Iran in June 2023.González Vidal expressed, on behalf of the Government and people of Cuba, solidarity with the Iranian Government and people, under the leadership of the Supreme Leader of the Islamic Republic of Iran, Ayatollah Ali Khamenei and the President, Dr. Masud Pezeshkian, in the confrontation of the Israeli aggressions, with the support of the U.S. Government, as well as the denunciation of the unjust sanctions and unilateral coercive measures imposed against the sister nation of Iran.