Francois Hollande in Havana: Cuba and France expands businesses

Transcription

3/2015
OFFICIAL
PUBLICATION
OF THE CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE
OF THE REPUBLIC
OF CUBA
Francois Hollande in Havana:
Cuba and France expands businesses
ISSN 0864-3857
Cuba-Caribbean
Forum in Santiago
de Cuba: to bring
together the
economies of
the region
CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE
OF THE
REPUBLIC OF CUBA
The Chamber is an institution that groups Cuban enterprises
from all sectors as its members, with the purpose of
supporting their work and promoting, both nationally and
internationally, the export goods and services, as well as the
business and investment opportunities for the benefit of the
national economy.
YOUR ENTERPRISE IS OUR MISSION
LEGAL SERVICES
- Advisory.
- International commercial arbitration.- GSI Cuba
Bureau.
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. Issue of certificates of origin, force majeure and
others.
. Administration of the registries of associated
enterprises, importers, exporters and branch offices,
and agents of foreign mercantile companies.
PROMOTIONAL ACTIONS
Organization of business missions, business
meetings, bilateral committees, cooperation
agreements and others.
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specialized publications.
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FAIRS AND EXHIBITIONS
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La Habana, Cuba.
Tel.: (53) 7838 1321 / 7383 1322
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: www.camaracuba.cu
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OF COMMERCE
MAGAZINE
Cuba Foreign Trade (CFT), official publication of
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was created with the purpose of disseminating and
promoting the interests of the Cuban enterprises,
members of the Chamber, for the benefit of the
national economy.
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MESSAGE FROM THE PRESIDENT
I
n the months that comprise this issue they have continued visits of government and business delegations from
various countries, interested in trade, do business and advance investments in Cuba. By representativeness and
weight highlights that the President of France, Francois Hollande, who was accompanied by executives from major
corporations and during which important agreements were signed; that of Jose Manuel Soria, Minister of Industry,
Energy and Tourism of Spain, which arrived with more than 80 entrepreneurs, whose government seeks to consolidate
the good level of political, economic, commercial, industrial, tourism and energy policies relations with Cuba. This visit,
the second from the Iberian country this year, was very fruitful for both parties.
Mario Giro, undersecretary for Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation of the Italian Republic, brought to 139
businessmen and said here, referring to the projects launched during his visit that his country and Cuba “began a
common economic adventure”.
In this period also were with us representations of Poland, Trinidad and Tobago, Aruba, Bahamas and Singapore, with
which a number of agreements were also materialized. Details of all these missions we deployed for you in these pages.
Briefings, forums, business meetings, talks and bilateral agendas we have developed with each visiting delegation,
in sustain of our strategy to support the business community to achieve the common goal: enabling growth and
sustainable economic development of Cuba.
Of the actions taken at the international level we record here also. They were, among others, participation in Expo
Milan, in ExpoAladi, in Seoul Food and in the Angola Fair.
We do not forget the restoration of bilateral relations between Cuba and the United States on July 20, so we address
in an article what this means especially for the future, and provide facts and figures of what it has meant for trade,
finance, business, finally, to the Cuban economy and society, over five decades of economic, commercial and financial
blockade decreed by the powerful neighbor in 1962.
New biotech cooperation projects with China, significant events like Cubagua, Cuba is Moda, the Cuba-Caribbean Business
Forum held as part of the 500th anniversary of Santiago de Cuba, and anniversaries of the National Center for Scientific
Research and different associated enterprises integrate, among others, the articles of our magazine that we put in their hands.
Orlando Hernandez Guillén
CHAMBER OF COMMERCE OF THE REPUBLIC OF CUBA
EXECUTIVE BOARD
PRESIDENT Orlando Hernández Guillén
VICEPRESIDENT Odalys Seijo García
GENERAL SECRETARY Omar de J. Fernández Jiménez
BOARD OF DIRECTORS
INTERNATIONAL RELATIONS DEPARTMENT Celia M. Labora Rodríguez
FAIRS AND EXHIBITIONS DEPARTMENT Miriam Martínez Delgado
LEGAL AFFAIRS DEPARTMENT Vacante
ASSOCIATES DEPARTMENT Milena Pérez Cepero
INFORMATION AND PUBLICATIONS DEPARTMENT Ramón I. Ripoll Díaz
INFORMATICS DEPARTMENT Sandra Hernández de la Torre
ACCOUNTING AND FINANCES DEPARTMENT Fernando Pérez Sánchez
HUMAN CAPITAL AND CADRES DEPARTMENT Yamilsy Figueredo Grille
ADMINISTRATIVE SERVICES DEPARTMENT Alberto López Rodríguez
CONTENTS
OFFICIAL PUBLICATION OF THE CHAMBER
OF COMMERCE OF THE REPUBLIC OF CUBA
No. 3/2015
DIRECTOR
Ramón I. Ripoll Díaz
EDITOR
Maggie Marín Díaz
EDITION ASISTANT
Lucila Marlene Domínguez Garcés
EVENTS
5 Cuban potential in Expo Milan 2015
7 “We trust that Expo Milan will mark a milestone in the
world debate on food and sustainability”: Speech delivered
by the president of our Chamber, Orlando Hernández Guillén.
8 Santiago de Cuba hosted the event designed to bring
together the economies of the region
12 Expand businesses and commercial ties
14 New agreements for biotechnological cooperation with China
17 Cuba and China project more business in tourism.
Signed with Singapore a agreement on free visa
18 Consolidating bilateral, trade and investment relations
20 Another chapter in relations
22 The challenges and benefits are also economic and
commercial
TRANSLATOR
Ana E. Valdés Portela
26 Cuba and Germany relationship and cooperation on
ART-DESIGN
Yoaima Rodríguez Marín
SPECIAL ARTICLES
27 Cuba and its opportunities for foreign investment
32 Significant results in fourth round of talks with
new bases
COVER
the European Union
33 The Island makes its debut in the World Economic
PROOFREADER
Maritza Lam Tajes
Forum
35 Cuba-Angola cooperation consolidated
ADVERTISING
CURRENT BUSINESS SITUATION
37 Tourist Fair takes Off
39 CNIC and its valuable 50 years
42 Los Portales: Two decades all around the
DISTRIBUTION
PHOTOGRAPHY
archipelago
44 Brascuba arrives at two decades of existence
46 Meliá celebrates 25 years in Cuba opening the
DIGITAL:
largest of its hotels in the world
48 Cubagua 2015 Positive Impacts in vital subjects for
Editorial Office
Calle 21 no. 661 esq. a A, El Vedado,
La Habana, Cuba.
the Island and the World
50 Seeking opportunities in a branch with great
potential
51 Valuable results in Felti 2015
Phone: (53) 7833-8040
OUR ASSOCIATES
52 New Associates members during the 2nd quarter of 2015
E-mail: [email protected]
Web site: http://www.camaracuba.cu
Chamber of Commerce of the Republic of Cuba
World Trade Center Havana
Member of the International Chamber of Commerce
Articles and graphic materials may be totally
or partially reprinted provided the source is credited.
THE CHAMBER TODAY
53
- Cuban participation in the 4th Session of the Cuba-Italy
Business Committee
- Agreement of trade cooperation signed with Trinidad
and Tobago
- Seoul Food 2015: Cuban participation
- Cuba-Lebanese Business Forum
- Search to strengthen trade relations with Poland
- Aruba and Cuba propose complementing their economies
- Cooperation agreement with The Bahamas Chamber of
Commerce
- Results of the Macro round in EXPO ALADI
Cuba FOREIGN TRADE No. 3/2015
4
Events
Cuban potential in
Expo Milan 2015
This time the exhibit has an area of one million m²
T
his beautiful Italian city will host, until October 31 this year
the World Expo Milan 2015 whose doors opened on May
1st with the slogan “Feed the planet, energy for life”. Participating
are representatives of more than 140 countries as well as several
institutions and international organization to share experience on
nutrition and resources for a healthy diet.
Science for food security and quality nutrition, Innovation in
the of supply chain of agricultural food, Technology for agriculture
and biodiversity, Nutritional education, Solidarity and cooperation
in food, Food for a better level of life and Food in the world cultures
and ethnic groups are also subjects in this event. Expected is the
attendance of more than 20 million persons.
Our pavilion, with a new image, has as its central theme “Cuba,
path towards food sovereignty”. Among the novelties are artists’
performances, tasting events, launching of new products, as well
as ease of information on opportunities for trade, investments and
characteristics of tourism on the Island.
In this installation the visitors will find the history of this
archipelago through its cuisine, which fuses that of the aborigines,
Spaniards, Africans, French, Chinese and natives peoples
(criollos); they will also enjoy a good cigar, rum, coffee and cocoa.
The stand is part of a cluster of Cocoa since Cuba also describes
research centers of this product. Our exhibition also describes
experiences in agricultural biotechnology.
Specialists of the Chamber of Commerce of the Republic of
Cuba have expressed the hope that our stand be a window open
to business of the Island toward the world; an opportunity to
stimulate direct foreign investment and impulse the export of
products and services and consolidate the Destination Cuba in
the European market, particularly in Italy.
Miriam Martínez, director of Fairs and Expositions of the
Chamber and member of the Cuban mission to the World Expo
noted among others actions, exchanges with Italian business
persons regarding the opportunities for business and investment
in this Caribbean nation, facing its economic development.
Cuba held its day in the Expo on July 26, National Rebellion Day
and for the occasion travelled to that city a high-level delegation,
Return to context
5
Events
These events take
place every five years
composed by personalities representing sectors such as culture, food
industry and foreign trade, among other issues.
Between the main activities occurring this day was the conference
“Cuba, from cocoa to chocolate” delivered by María Cristina Jorge Cabrera,
director of the Research Institute of the Food Industry.
Attending the commemorative ceremony were diplomats, heads of the
main pavilions, business executives, members of the Italy-Cuba National
Friendship Association and associations of Cuban residents in Italy. There
was an exchange of messages between the General Commissioner of
the Expo, Bruno Pasquino and the President of our Chamber, Orlando
Hernández Guillén, who headed our delegation and transmitted to the
Italian government and authorities of Milan the appreciation for inviting
Cuba to this important event (See full speech below).
For his part the Italian Commissioner recognized the cultural values of
the Caribbean nation, the high scientific level achieved and its economic
model directed towards sustainable development.
Then the musical company Ibu Akuaro, demonstrated the Santiago
carnival that celebrated, from that Lombardan region, the 500 years of
the foundation of Santiago de Cuba and the representation of the island
received a globe made with cocoa, which highlights the map of the island,
and will be on display at the Cuban pavilion.
Afterwards the singer Leo Díaz and the dance corps mentioned above
entertained with national rhythms the ceremony of presentation of Cuban
products in the cluster box “Cacao and Chocolate”. There was also a
concert of Cuban music under the direction of Leo Wilbert and his Cuban
Salsa Orchestra that received large public attraction as well as the chance
to taste typical products.
These exhibitions are
held every five years
and are considered the
most important spaces
in which nations exhibit
their social policies and
results on subjects of
great interest for the
planet.
This is the
suggestive tree of
life in the Fair
Sources: own, AIN and
Caribbean News Digital.
Photos: INTERNET
Return to context
6
Events
“We trust that Expo Milan will mark a
milestone in the world debate on food
and sustainability”
Speech delivered by the head of the Cuban
delegation, Orlando Hernández Guillén,
in celebration of the National Day in the Milan
Universal Expo on July 26 of 2015
O
n behalf of the Cuban Government and people I wish
to express my thanks to the Italian Government, to
the authorities of Milan for inviting Cuba to participate in this
important event and also for the joint efforts of many Italian
and Cuban institutions to make possible the Cuban presence in
this beautiful Italian city.
The origin of our history in the universal expositions date back to the mid 19th century when what was considered
“the gem of the Spanish colony” conquered prizes for its rums, tobacco, sugar and coffee in London’s Crystal Palace, in
Philadelphia, in Barcelona and in Paris.
Since the triumph of the Revolution in 1959 Cuba has participated in the most important universal expos such as
Montreal, Osaka, Vancouver, Sevilla, Lisbon, Hannover, Aichi, Zaragoza and Shanghai.
Following this tradition and the special bond of Cuba to agriculture, as an archipelago located at the entrance of the
Gulf of Mexico, we arrive at Expo Milan that has become the world capital of nutrition.
But not everything is history. Today Cuba is involved in updating its economic model with a view to achieve food
sovereignty, which does not happen only from producing more food products but to ensure food security and raising the
nutritional levels of the Cuban people. This is done through proper management of land and water, the manner in which
are grown, processed and marketed foodand the kind of food companies that we decide to have in our territory.
For long time ago Cuba eradicated malnutrition with impressive indicators. Cuba today is a country without hunger or
under nourishment, with free health and education, with a high scientific and cultural level.
Cubaadvances in the fight against hunger are the result from the continued application of a policy to guarantee
availability, access and correct use of foods, a commitment that has been kept for a long time. It indicates that Cuba has
known how to grant high political and social priority to guarantee the right to food.
Recently in 2013 the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO) recognized Cuba as one the countries that
has made extraordinary progress to improve food security for its citizens. Also the United Nations Children’s Fund (UNICEF)
has declared Cuba as the only country in Latin America and the Caribbean that has eliminated children’s malnutrition.
Among other achievements, my country is noted for the reduction of infant mortality that is maintained at 4,2 per thousand
livebirths, one of the lowest figures in the world.
Cuba today is an example for the Caribbean and is of interest not only the movement of its physicians and its assistance
but also withtheir nutritionists, its agriculture and scientific achievements.
Referring to nutrition and food hygiene and its relationship to the health of people, our José Martí, the most universal
Cuban, with a high philosophy of prevention wrote in the 19th century: “to eat well that is not eat richly but healthy foods,
well seasoned is the first necessity for a good maintenance of health of the body and the mind”.
Another subject in whom Cuba can contribute its experience is in the development of biotechnology with application in
agriculture.
The biotechnology of plants is one of the hopes for this overpopulated planet. Cuba has demonstrated the validity of
combining the results of agriculture with a sustainable profile increasingly more ecological, with molecular biology to obtain
high yields and low costs.
No better platform to express the commitment and will of my country to guarantee not only food security for all Cubans
but to contribute, with its modest efforts to eradicate hunger and malnutrition, according to the objectives proposed by
FAO.
How to guarantee food for the 9billion inhabitants foreseen for our planet in 2045? Can we feed this humanity with
the current consumption patterns, the natural limits of cultivable lands and drinking water as well as the impact of the
climate change?
We recognize Italy for the commitment made in the complex and universal subject of food, on which unfortunately has
not yet achieved the awareness it deserves.
We trust that Expo Milan will mark a milestone in the world debate on food and sustainability and be a platform for
reflection and initiatives of policies on this issue to commit the people of today to bequeath a sustainable planet for the
citizens of the future.
Thank you Milan, thank you Italy!
Return to context
7
INTERNET
Distinguished general commissioner of Expo Milan,
Distinguished authorities of the province of Milan,
Distinguished guests:
Events
Cuba-Caribbean Business Forum
Santiago de Cuba hosted the
event designed to bring together
the economies of the region
W
ith bilateral meetings between the 10 participating
countries (that included the Dominican Republic,
Haiti, Saint Lucia, Bahamas, Belize, Grenada, Saint Vincent
and the Grenadines and Trinidad and Tobago) and the signing
of several agreements took place in Santiago de Cuba as
part of the 500 years celebration of the villa and the 62nd
anniversary of the attacks on the Moncada and Carlos Manuel
de Céspedes barracks, the Cuba-Caribbean Business Forum,
an event organized to promote cooperation, integration and
trade.
The meeting, organized by the Ministry of Foreign Trade
and Investment (Mincex) the Chamber of Commerce of the
Republic of Cuba (CCRC) and the local government from July
16 and 17 gathered more than 50 business representatives
and 43 international and foreign companies to explore
potentialities and unexploited lines in different areas. It
allowed the Island to demonstrate to its neighbors the
details of the new Law of Foreign Investment and the Special
Development Zone Mariel (ZEDM).
Mechanisms for establishing alliances and strengthen
economic and trade relations between Cuba and the nations
of the region, counted on the participation of the Cuban
minister of Tourism, Manuel Marrero, the deputy minister of
Mincex, Ileana Núñez Mordoche and CCRC president Orlando
Hernández Guillén and other authorities of the country as
well as ministers of the Bahamas, Saint Lucia and Grenada,
diplomats and representatives of commerce of those nations.
In the inauguration Marrero explained that Cuban tourism
has a new scenario with a growth of 16% this year as
compared to the same period in 2014. More than a threat to
the other Caribbean islands it is a privileged opportunity to
boost multi destination and strengthen ties and businesses
between our countries.
The purpose of the event was to boost bases to identify
our real potential that will allow an approach in the sphere
of commerce and joint businesses; he said and added that
another objective is to bring together a larger rapprochement
and exchange between business executives.
Cooperation agreements between our
Chamber and their counterparts in
the Commonwealth of the Bahamas
and Granada were signed
/ INTERNET
Return to context
8
Events
Although we are near we still don’t know us much
and have not advanced enough to create economic and
productive complimentary ties, Marrero explained and stated
that the new Law of Foreign Investment and the ZEDM
are opportunities that our neighbors should take to boost
commercial exchange and form joint ventures in sectors of
mutual interest.
The commercial amounts of negotiations are still
insufficient and were outlined by Orlando Hernández Guillén.
The most recent figures represent 162 million in 2013; 158
in 2014 and approximately 80 in the first six months of 2015
demonstrating that regional trade has not achieved the depth
and stability our leaders expect, he added.
The Caribbean –he said– is the natural environment for
these economic ties between nations of the area and there is
the will to increase more businesses and cooperation in the
coming years.
Ms. Gail Mathurin, general director of the Office of
Commercial Negotiations of the Caricom Secretariat insisted
on strengthening the platform of economic and business
cooperation and identified priorities with an emphasis on
transportation, finances and tourism. She affirmed that for the
Community this forum is very important for the constitution
of a Cuba-Caricom Business Council to establish new bases to
strengthen economic cooperation in the area.
It is the right time for business persons of the Caribbean
to begin to see Cuba as an ideal destination for investments,
said Mr. Marcelo Puello vice minister of the Free Zone and
Special Regimes of the Dominican Republic: “There has been
little trade between the islands of the Caribbean and it is
an area we must boost in the coming years for a truly real
integration at all levels”.
In parallel to the meeting about 48 Cuban companies
exhibited their broad range of products and services in 31
stands located in 440 m2 of the Heredia Cultural Complex.
There were signed two agreements of cooperation
between our Chamber of Commerce and its counterparts
from the Commonwealth of the Bahamas and Grenada and a
plan of action between the CCRC and the promotion agency
of trade Caribbean Export. Exchanged were memorandums
of understanding between the Center for the Promotion of
Trade and Investments of Cuba (Cepec) and the Agency for
the Promotion of Trade of Saint Lucia (Tepa).
The participants toured the Eastern Center of Ecosystems
and Biodiversity (Bioeco), the Bodegas Don Pancho and
other centers of interest. There were also presentations
of opportunities for trade and investment in the Caribbean
and Mincex exhibited the Santiago de Cuba potential and
opportunities.
It was presented the Tobacco 500 years, an initiative of
the cigar rollers of Santiago. With raw material from Pinar
del Rio the cigar band is inserted in an aluminum tube lined
with thin slips of cedar to maintain the aroma and taste, in a
tobacco flack for 15 cigars.
Since 1972 when diplomatic relations between Cuba and
the Caribbean nations began, they were based on cooperation
between sectors such as health, education, construction,
transportation and tourism.
Chinese
businessmen
undertake the
construction of
a new terminal
at the Port of
Santiago
/ INTERNET
Return to context
9
Events
Santiago: cradle, bread and more
The seventh villa was founded by Diego Velázquez de
Cuéllar on July 25 of 1515. The colonization campaign of
the governor began in 1511 when he founded Our Lady of
the Assumption of Baracoa, originally built as a center of the
colonial government; a function later transferred to Santiago.
Chroniclers and pedestrians explained that the town
maintains a halo of legends and mysteries. It is the most
Caribbean of the country and no one denies that it has
carried into the present many magical marks of the colonial
era when it was known by the gold in its belly and later for
copper and coffee.
Today Santiago de Cuba is tenth of the provinces in
extension with 6 234,16 km2, and 5,7 % of the total surface
of Cuba. It is inhabited by more than a million persons and
one of its main economic and productive lines is agriculture
while the industrial branch is also an important component.
In the midst of this it celebrates its birthday with plans and
works directed to the economic and social development of
the city with an ambitious program that has been doing for
some time.
According to the web page TV Santiago, the program
moves in three fundamental directions. The first, although
immaterial, is the possibility of carrying out a successful plan:
what must to do and is done every day must be done well,
with efficiency and quality. The second is the fulfillment and
commitment of the plans made to progressively satisfy the
needs of the people and that the entities will be profitable;
and thirdly, investments based on projects set down in 16
scenarios of the founding center of the villa as well as its
nine municipalities and construction of more than 2 600
homes.
Part of these projects is the pedestrian walk of Las
Enramadas that connects the Plaza de Marte to the Alameda
with a revitalization of important spaces; the Alameda itself
with areas of recreation for children, young people and adults;
the Route of Coffee with the Museum of Fraternity, the garden
and the Gran Piedra; the emblematic Imperial Hotel and
Juan Gualberto Gómez-Flor Crombet avenue that restores
the Yarayó Avenue and the Crombet itself until reaching the
cemetery of Santa Ifigenia, a National monument and one of
the historical sites of the south eastern city.
Also actions of construction, restoration and maintenance
were undertaken in the spheres of health, education,
agriculture, commerce, services, industries and others of
vital importance such as tourism. Those who visit Santiago
perceive and breathe at the sight of a beautiful city that has
recovered from the terrible hurricane Sandy of 2012.
The year 2014 was complex, tense and hard for the
workers in agriculture to recover the productive potential of
the region and satisfy the food basic needs of the population.
Although still modest, results in some fields have over fulfilled
most of the plans of the period.
Notable in this manner was the growth experience by
varied crops with an accumulation of 387 737.6 t of food, 43
156.2 more than in 2013. The contribution was not higher
because of the plan of 40 515.2 t of fruits was only achieved
85 % because the harvest of mangoes was lower than
planned. In contrast, the volumes of viands, vegetables and
grains surpassed the amounts planned for that period.
Other essential factors with notable increases were pork
production that supplied 17 689 t of meat (1 394 above
expected figures) and honey that broke all predictions with a
production of 464.1 t.
The emblematic Hotel Casa
Granda was overhauled
/ INTERNET
Return to context
10
Events
The purpose to consolidate the Santiago agriculture is
closely linked to the recovery of livestock, so it is satisfying
to have closed the year at 105% compliance the estimated
production of milk and beef, besides obtained favorable
indicators such as the behavior of cattle births (102 %),
planting grasses (111 %) and production of sheep and goat
meat (114 %).
However, food demand still exceeds supply, prices still
fall short of the purchasing power of the average citizen and
although plans are met, there is potential to produce more.
Santiago de Cuba also ranks among the top provinces in
urban and suburban agriculture, not inconsiderable activity
for its influence on the fulfillment of the production plans of
the province and especially for its impact at the dinner table
of Santiago population.
Currently the territory has 80 organoponic farms, 297
intensive orchards, 31 units of semi-protected farming
and 7 647 plots, which together cover some 2 554 ha, as
referred Werlin Velázquez Herrera, provincial deputy delegate
responsible for the task. In addition it has 27 253 courtyards
and 8 632 horticultural farms to produce food in the outskirts
of cities, towns and communities with more than 1 000
inhabitants.
The dwellings are still in the collimator. When in the first
half of 2014 only 706 of the program were completed, it was
thought to be very difficult to execute in its entirety the 2 683
planned. 1977 houses remain outstanding and are just six
months in a territory where “hardly” were built 1 400 annually.
Between the main lines of the province excels
agriculture
Together with Santiago population, support brigades of
nine provinces met the plan and delivered even two dwelling
places above. What were the adverse factors? Mariana
Delis Rojas, director of the Provincial Housing Investor Unit
explained: construction began virtually from March, because
in the first quarter there was no response to the demand
for cement and steel. Another difficulty which increased the
implementation period of some works was no specialization
of the workforce in the new building systems used the Forsa
and Vhicoa Handicap, which must be resolved on the fly. It
also suffered from limited availability of equipment, because
the Ministry of Construction, leading builder, has technology
deficit, concluded the respondent.
Since late January enjoy their new houses 272 families,
which lost their homes when Hurricane Sandy affected the
territory, and other 304 of the neighborhood of San Pedrito,
where social transformations take place.
Here are some other important facts: the contribution
of eight Forza buildings with 160 apartments, made by the
Engineering Corps of Ecuador Army; compliance, after many
years, to the lodgings planned for health workers; and the
construction of 764 dwellings by its own effort through bank
credits and subsidies.
The happy ending was made possible by the support of a
revitalized construction materials industry, with three new arid
treatment plants, two bachimplanes for processing concrete,
quarry trucks, drilling equipment, loaders, backhoes and
improvements in sand plants and blocks manufacturing plants.
Clearly, much it remains in the ink by telling. Worth it to
travel to Santiago de Cuba and see everything done. Vista
makes faith.
/ INTERNET
Return to context
11
French president visits Cuba
Events
Expand businesses
and commercial ties
The President stated that France is a staunch
ally of Cuba in their development purposes and
reintegration into the world economy
/ ISMAEL FRANCISCO
F
rench president, François Hollande witnessed in Havana
Malmierca explained that the exchanges between Cuban
the signing agreements of great importance to boost and French business executives allowed identifying “common
trade and business with Cuba during his official visit (first of interests” to boost cooperation in several sectors. He added
a French president in office), accompanied by five ministers, that Cuba is interested in the participation of the oil business
parliamentarians and high ranking executives of leading group Total, in a risk exploration and shared production
corporations of that country, whose economy experienced a contract, training of Cuban personnel and the modernization
of the refinery in Santiago de Cuba. The truth is that although
strong industrial development after the II World War.
As part of his agenda, the French president participated not yet are reported significant findings of commercial quality,
in the Cuba-France Business Forum in which the visitors according to studies by Cuban geologists are reserves of
received details of the update of the Cuban economy, new more than 20 000 million barrels in the Exclusive Economic
opportunities for investment and about the Special Zone Zone of the Gulf of Mexico.
Precisely the extension of a letter of intent was signed with
Development Mariel (ZEDM for its acronym in Spanish).
Total in terms of marketing and services already existing since
This forum was inaugurated by the Minister of Foreign
1993 with the Cuban Oil Company (Cupet) for the sale of oil
Trade and Investment, Rodrigo Malmierca in the salon
products to Cuba.
1930 of the National Hotel. The forum was divided into four
Regarding our relations with France Malmierca explained
sectorial workshops: Tourism, Agriculture and Food; Energy, that this country occupies a very important place, fifth among
Infrastructure, Transportation and Telecommunications and our European partners. “We hope –he said– that our Portfolio
Health and Biotechnology.
of Opportunities for Investment encourage the French
Malmierca recalled that Cuba has trade relations with business community to accompany us in the development of
75 countries and the amount of exchange has tripled in the country and raise the living standards of the population”.
the past 10 years. The blockade of the United States is the
For the French part Matthias Feki Secretary of State of
main obstacle in the development of the nation, he said, and Foreign Trade, Tourism and French Population Overseas, said:
moves in a process of rapprochement between both nations “It is an historical day for both countries and the presence
although the measures recently adopted by President Barack of many of you here is live proof of the importance of our
Obama are still limited.
relations”.
In the workshop on tourism the first vice
deputy minister of this field, Alexis Trujillo
informed that the Island plans to develop
its hotel accommodation to 240 000 rooms
and today has more than 62 000. “We need
to speed up construction of new capacities
with the Gaviota Group as the chain with
The Minister of Public Health of Cuba,
Roberto Morales, and the French head of
Social Affairs, Health and Women’s Rights,
Marisol Touraine, signed a Letter of Intent
to deepen cooperation actions
/ INTERNET
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12
Events
He asked the United
States to lift the
blockade on Cuba
/ INTERNET
largest growth in the country. Another purpose in our plans is
to increase and diversify the tourism-related services such as
nautical sports and golf clubs around tourism centers”.
In fact two contracts for administration were signed to
open new luxury hotels in Cuba. Accor announced the signing
up of one and Warwick International Hotels and Resorts
(WIH) reported that will begin operating as manager and
marketer in Santa Maria Key and Varadero. Also planned is
the construction of five star hotels.
Air France airline, for its part, intends to increase its current
14 weekly flights.
The Cuban logistics society, Ausa, and the French company
of maritime transportation of containers CMA-CGM –one of
the world leading groups in the specialty– agreed to manage
a logistics platform of 17 hectares that includes 12 000 m2 of
warehouses and 5 000 m2 of refrigerated chambers. From the
same, which will operate in the ZEDM, the French society will
administer the collection and distribution of merchandize in
the Island, the collection of cargoes for export destinations,
storage of merchandize for imports and exports and the
distribution of containers, among other activities.
The agreement considered the most important contracted
during the visit of the French president, was signed in his
presence by Mr. Rodolphe Saadé, CMA-CGM vice president
with business in Cuba since 2000.
In less than 48 hours the distinguished guest met with
his counterpart Raúl Castro and the historical leader Fidel
Castro; delivered a master conference at the Aula Magna
of Havana University –during which he requested the
annulment of the US blockade and assured that Paris will
contribute to have those measures eliminated–; inaugurate
the new headquarters of the French Alliance in Prado Avenue,
previous home of President José Miguel Gómez and closed
the Business Forum.
France wants to intensify its trade with the Island, which
in 2014 registered 180 million Euros, slightly lower than
the previous year and separated from the flow with other
European partners, such as Spain, Holland or Italy. However,
despite the modest trade figures France has third place in
European investments in Cuba with the presence of important
companies.
For example, Soufflet, the French corporation leader in
the export of grains has been established in Cuba for 30
years. The group Pernod-Ricard successfully commercialized
Havana Club rums, with sales around four million boxes
that increase every year. Also important corporations such
as Carrefour (international chain of supermarkets) and
Orange (telecommunications) wish to take advantage of the
opportunities offered by the Cuban market to spread to the
rest of the region.
In the field of science and higher education, the National
Center of Scientific Research of the French Republic signed
a cooperation framework agreement with the Cuban Ministry
of Science, Technology and Environment and the rector of
Havana University Gustavo Cobreiro signed agreements with
the universities of Paris-Sud y Paris 1 as well as with the
Conservatory of Arts and Crafts of France.
These agreements, President Hollande explained, are in
advance of new ones that will be promoted between both
nations. The Institute Pasteur of Paris and the Finlay Institute
of Havana, as well as the Center of Genetic Engineering and
Biotechnology (CIGB), the Aviva laboratories and medical
universities in both countries will be some of the institutions
that will soon establish relations.
Francois Hollande acknowledged that the blockade is
detrimental to the bilateral exchange but, although trade
of goods can be prevented, not stop the ideas, he said and
we will continue strengthening cooperation, searching to
unite theses in fields such as science, agronomy, physics,
administration of the environment especially in Masters and
PhD degrees, he added.
Hollande starred something not seen
in visitors of his level: he shook hands
with Cuban attracted by his walk along
the Paseo del Prado
/ INTERNET
During the 18th French Film Festival held then in Havana,
also the Cuban Institute of Art and Film Industry, ICAIC, and
the National Film Centre of France (CNC) signed an agreement
to promote the seventh art in both nations. Mrs. Frederique
Bredin, president of CNC, said that this is primarily intended
to increase the number of co-productions for artistic and
technical exchange, since in recent years have been filmed
six Franco-Cuban films with great acceptance and restoring
films developed -this agreement extends the provisions of the
2012- and the digitization of a cinema in Cuba.
Since its arrival in the Greater Antilles as part of his tour
of the Caribbean, Francois Hollande, of the Socialist Party,
said that France will be a faithful ally of the island in their
development purposes and reintegration into the world
economic context.
Cuba and France established diplomatic relations in 1902.
This country ranks today among the top 12 trading partners
of the Greater Antilles and is one of the main sources of
tourists to the island.
Sources: PL, AIN, Granma and Options
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13
Events
Events
New agreements for
biotechnological cooperation
with China
Days before,
Raul received
the Chinese
vice prime
minister,
Wang Yang
W
ith the signing of eleven agreements for new
cooperation projects for the period of 2015-2017,
concluded in Havana the 8th Meeting of the Joint Working
Group of Biotechnology, demonstrating the interest of Cuba
and China to strengthen bilateral cooperation in favor of the
development of the biopharmaceutical industry.
The first vice president of the Council of State and
Ministers and member of the Politburo, Miguel Díaz-Canel
Bermúdez, attended the opening of the meeting held in the
Meliá Habana hotel on 29th and 30th of June. Its Final Act
was signed by the presidents of both delegations, Carlos
Gutiérrez Calzado, president of the BioCubaFarma Business
Group and Ren Zhiwu, deputy director of the Department of
High Technology of the National Commission of Development
and Reform.
Also letters of intention were signed to establish two joint
ventures in the Special Development Zone Mariel: one to
produce and commercialize biopharmaceutical products and
the other for the cancer vaccine.
Today 20 Chinese companies have agreements of
cooperation with the Island and in the last two years there
was an increase of joint projects and 10 of them were initiated
in the period between the 7th work meeting in Beijing (2013)
and this meeting.
Noteworthy were the links for the development of
monoclonal antibodies and poly vaccines for diseases such as
cancer and diabetes.
Due to the fruitful experience in China with this type of
association, the objective now is to increase production in
the Island and later diversify distribution of these medicines
in the markets of Latin America, according to declarations of
the general director of the Center of Molecular Immunology,
Dr. Agustin Lage, who represents the Cuban part.
Also signed were two contracts for the commercial
representation and distribution of bio similar antibodies and
the pneumococcal vaccine. An agreement was established
for the Comercializadora de Servicios Médicos Cubanos to
begin attending Chinese patients in Cuba as well as its rapid
introduction in this market and in the rest of Latin America of
a vaccine against rotavirus.
The Center of Neurosciences of Cuba and the University
of Science and Electronic Technology of that Asian giant
agreed to establish a joint laboratory and develop five
neurotechnological products.
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14
INTERNET
Events
During the inauguration of the meeting, Doctor Gutiérrez
Calzado reported that cooperation in biotechnology between
our countries has been an incentive in bilateral relations and
has a great future perspective and thanked the efforts of that
Asian nation to take this cooperation to such a high level.
Our governments, he said, have given us the task to
boost development of the biotechnology industry and place
the results at the service of the peoples. We should manage
this task to have a favorable impact in the health of both
countries. It should be an important contribution for a
sustainable development in the quality of life of the peoples
and the national economies of Cuba and China.
The guidelines of the economic policy of the country give
priority to develop results in the field of biotechnology, extend
its use and share it with humanity. “Cuba wishes, in this
manner, to share with China, as an expression of brotherhood
and strengthen the historical and indestructible friendship
that unites us” emphasized Gutiérrez Calzado.
For his part Lin Nian Xiu, vice president of the Chinese
National Commission for Development and Reform
emphasized that in the past 10 years cooperation has resulted
in mutual benefits and with the implementation of this work
group more than 20 Chinese companies have collaborated
with Cuba and are prepared to implement several projects of
cooperation in biotechnology.
He expressed interest to extend collaboration with
Cuba, especially in scientific, technological and commercial
areas and insisted on the deepening of cooperation for the
economic and social development of the peoples.
China is interested in planning future projects under this
mechanism and also to involve universities and financial
institutions, among others. He mentioned that in the past
few years China has set aside about 500 000 million dollars
for the production and trade in this field.
Cuba and China established new methods for innovation
and, in my country, set up areas of free trade in Shanghai
and other cities, Lin Nian Xiu said. He also noted the
advances of BioCubaFarma that exports its products to
more than 50 countries. He stressed the need to work to
increase the confidence of foreign companies, above all
after the inauguration of the Special Development Zone
Mariel.
Meetings of this kind are held every two years alternating
between Cuba and China. On this edition the development
of the agreements signed in the previous meeting as well
as the achievements and difficulties were analyzed and new
projects promoted.
For this purpose about 100 representatives from research
centers, universities, companies and executives from both
countries – 52 for the Asian part and 48 for the Cuban –
worked in five main sub commissions: Industry, Sanitary
Registration, Health, Science and Neurotechnology and
Agriculture.
There were also meetings with counterparts of the
centers of Molecular Immunology, Genetic Engineering
and Biotechnology, Immunoassay, the Finlay Institute and
National Center of Scientific Research. The Group will meet
again in 2017 in China.
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15
Events
Days before this meeting there was a work visit of a
delegation headed by Wang Yang, vice prime minister of
the Council of State and member of the Politburo of the
Central Committee of the Chinese Communist Party. This
high ranking official was received by President Raúl Castro
Ruz, occasion in which they expressed the excellent state of
bilateral relations, the advance of integral development and
celebrate the 55th anniversary of uninterrupted and fraternal
diplomatic relations between both states.
Previously the Chinese official and the vice president
of the Council of Ministers, Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz held
official talks on subjects of the bilateral economic and trade
agenda. Participating was Rodrigo Malmierca Díaz, minister
of Foreign Trade and Investment. The distinguished visitor
also met with our foreign affairs minister, Bruno Rodríguez
Parrilla.
During this visit an Agreement of Economic and Technical
Cooperation was signed relating to a donation of that Asian
country to Cuba that will be used to finance projects of
cooperation.
China is a strategic partner of Cuba that will help its
development in the period between 2016 and 2020.
Sources: AIN, PL and Granma. Photos: INTERNET
China intends to expand
collaboration with Cuba in
areas of trade, technology
and science
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16
Events
Cuba and China
project more
business in tourism
O
Signed with Singapore a
agreement on free visa
r. Kasiviswanathan Shanmugam, Foreign Affairs
M
Minister of the Republic of Singapore, expressed
in Havana in June, during an official visit, that his country
n the occasion of the visit to Cuba of Li Jinzao,
president of the National Tourism Administration of
China, on Sept. 16 was held a bilateral forum, in which
Cuba and the Asian giant confirmed their interest in
expanding business in the tourism sector with the signing
of a Memorandum of Understanding.
The visitor and Manuel Marrero, Cuba’s tourism minister
signed the document that will accelerate the exchange
between authorities and businessmen linked to the socalled leisure industry, with the objective to identify mutually
advantageous projects.
The Chinese delegation toured Varadero to verify the
development of the pole and the multiple offers which
in this field are provided in the main resort of the island,
located in the province of Matanzas.
A note from the Cuban Ministry of Tourism said that this
high-profile visit will facilitate the strengthening of ties of
cooperation existing between the two distant territories.
The issuance of tourists from China to the island has
grown steadily over the past three years. In the first seven
months of 2015 this indicator increased 15.4 % over the
same period of 2014, and at the time of the visit was
expected the inauguration in a few weeks of the first direct
flight between Beijing and Havana, which will be operated
by Air China, and will stop in Canada.
Cuba and China explored during the visit of Minister Li
Jinzao other business opportunities to extend cooperation
in such key sector, and in which the two nations already
promote projects linked to the hotel and golf courses
development.
For example, the company Beijing Enterprises Holdings
Limited projects, in conjunction with the Cuban group
Palmares, the creation of a large real estate which include
a five star hotel and a golf course, in Bellomonte area, east
of Havana.
Chinese partners also valued with entities of the island to
build a hotel in the Residential Marina Hemingway, west of the
capital, the foreign investor is the Asian firm Suntime.
Source: AIN. Photo: INTERNET
and Cuba can strengthen relations in economy, politic and
strategy. He noted the active participation of his country
in the Special Development Zone Mariel (ZEDM) since the
Port Singapore International Authority Group (PSA), one
of the leaders in port operations and transfers worldwide,
manages byan administration contract the operationsof the
newContainer Terminal inthis port, and emphasized that the
situation at present is opportune to promote cooperationin all
possible areas.
The visitor and our Foreign Affairs Minister, Bruno Rodríguez
Parrilla, signed an agreement a visa exemption agreement
covering exemption of this requirement for the holders
of diplomatic, officials, of services and ordinary passports,
expression of the interest of both nations to facilitate the free
flow of its citizens and promote bilateral collaboration.
Rodríguez Parrilla explained that Singapore plays a
significant role in the support of Cuba in international
organizations and together work on an agenda of international
integration. For his part, Shanmugamadded that mutual
relations are friendly and that in the United Nations (UN) they
always supported the lifting the blockade of the United States
against the Island.
Shanmugam exchanged impressions with Marino Murilllo
Jorge, minister of Economy and Planning and head of the
Permanent Commission for Implementation and Development
of the Guidelines. He also noted the importance of the
meeting at a time when relations between both countries
are strengthened. Cuba, Murillo added, works intensely
in updating its economic model and a study of the one of
Singapore is fruitful.
The sea port of Singapore –the independent city state in
Southeast Asia is made up of the main island and 59 smaller
ones south of the Malacca peninsula– manages the largest
cargo volume a year in the world, both in tonnage as in
quantity of containers. Also it is an important international
financial center and popular tourist destination.
Cuba and Singapore established diplomatic relations in
1997 and today has economic and trade ties in the sector of
biotechnology and the ZEDM.
Source: AIN. Photo: INTERNET
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17
Spain in Cuba
Events
INTERNET
Consolidating bilateral, trade
and investment relations
I
n July Spain reappeared in the Island with a high level
delegation made up of the Minister of Industry, Energy
and Tourism, José Manuel Soria and Jaime García-Legaz,
secretary of State for Commerce. They were accompanied
by 80 business executives from a variety of companies that
included construction, tourism, and manufacture of goods,
energy, industry and telecommunications.
Also in the delegation were Antonio Fernández-Martos
Montero, general director of Trade and Investments; Isaac
Martín Barbero, head of the Instituto Español de Comercio
Exterior, and Alfredo Bonet Baiget, international director of
the Chamber of Commerce of Spain.
Upon their arrival Soria declared that their objectives were
well defined, both to maintain Spanish investment in Cuba –of
which the country was a pioneer– as to support the business
executives here and boost the opening of investments in
traditional and new sectors, including the Special Zone for
Development, Mariel (ZEDM).
The minister also concluded the Business Meeting that
included a Seminar on Financing and Investment, expressing
the interest of his government to strengthen the good state
of trade relations with Cuba and open routes for future joint
businesses in several economic sectors. He assured that he
seeks to support Spanish companies interested in establishing
in the Island where a new “scenario full of opportunities” is
opening up.
Jaime García-Legaz who headed a delegation of officials,
executives and representatives of 45 leading companies of
several activities announced that the line of financing of 25
million Euros, opened months ago by theSpanish Export Credit
Minister José Manuel Soria and the
Cuban official of Foreign Trade and
Investment, Rodrigo Malmierca
Agency (CESCE for its acronym in Spanish) to cover Spanish
exports to Cuba that is exhausted and will be renewed.
“The Bank of Spain has decided to free the credits granted
to operations with the Island under extraordinary prohibitions
in force to date. This implies that all credits granted, for
example, for investments in the Island, will not have an
additional charge occurring up to now; this would imply
and extraordinary increase of the flow of funds available
from Spanish banks to companies wishing to operate here”,
explained the high ranking official. Measures that will be
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18
Events
García-Legaz announced the
renovation of a financial line of credit
for 25 million Euros, opened months
before by the CESCE agency to cover
exports to Cuba
complemented through an open credit by the Company of
Financing for Development (Cofides) destined for Spanish
organizations interested in placing capital for investment in
Cuba.
“We are registering a notable interest of Spanish companies
to be able to use this line that we expect will soon be exhausted
because it would be a sign that we have identified projects
of interest for companies in Spain that could be useful for
the Cuban economy”, García-Legaz explained adding that
investment projects were presented to establish a plant to
produce beer and another for construction materials.
The visitors met with Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz, vice president
of the Council of Ministers, Rodrigo Malmierca minister of
Foreign Trade and Investment (Mincex) and with the vice
president of the Council of Ministers and ministerof Economy
and Planning, Marino Murillo. They also visited the ZEDM and
held meetings with the Association of Spanish Entrepreneurs
in Cuba.
Informed in the Business Forum were the results of
exchanges with Cuban authorities and identified routes to set
in motion the largest bilateral exchange that will imply soon,
memorandums of understanding.
This joint willingness will lead to new projects for the
development of strategic sectors for Cuba such as industry,
telecommunications and energy in which the Iberian nation
has not had to date such as active participation as in tourism.
For two days the Spanish business executives held talks
with their Cuban counterparts to present there corresponding
dossiers of business and offers of investment. They also met
with local authorities.
In the conclusions of the meeting, Ileana Núñez, vice
minister of Mincex recognized the important participation of
the Spanish business persons, even during moments of major
economic difficulties. She said that the country has been for
20 years one of the main business partnersof Cuba, held in
2014 the thirdplace in trade exchange of the island with the
world, also the one with most branches registered here and
one of the main emitters of tourists to the Island.
“For several years the exchange has surpassed 1000
million Euros and expect that with these agreements we have
recently signed should surpass those figures”.
The president of the Chamber of Commerce of the Republic
of Cuba, Orlando Hernández Guillén, predicted that this 2015
will be a year of intense and profitable exchange with Spanish
counterparts. “We can say that this is only a beginning of
work to develop and give continuity required to opportunities
identified.
“We held in May a good business meeting and take for
granted, according to the sectors that are at this time, we
cannot blame optimistic if we encourage hopes that new
businesses between this large Caribbean island and Spain will
enrich the near future with important and historical bilateral
relations”, he concluded.
Also addressing the event were Manuel Teruel Izquierdo,
president of the Chamber of Commerce of Zaragoza and
Joaquín Gay de Montellá, vice president of the Spanish
Confederation of Business Organizations (CEOE).
A communiqué of the Ministry of the Economy of Spain
confirmed in mid July that as part of the traditional good
bilateral relations, Cuba represents a new opportunity for
investments and in this context both parties work actively to
broaden economic, commercial and financial relations.
Today preparations are going forward for a memorandum
of understanding for relations between both countries in
areas such as industry, tourism, telecommunications and
commerce in order to have a clear framework for action with
the basic commercial and legal lines.
Sources: AIN, Opciones and Caribbean News. Photos: INTERNET
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19
Events
With Italy
Fruitful agreements in
the sectors of energy,
agriculture, food,
tourism, construction
and infrastructure
/ RAÚL ABREU
Another chapter in relations
M
ario Giro, under secretary for Foreign Affairs and
International Cooperation of Italy declared on July
8 in Havana that his country and Cuba have begun a new
chapter in bilateral relations: We are embarking – he said
referring to the projects put forward during his visit – in a
common economic adventure.
He was accompanied by a group of 150 business
persons – the largest of that country to have visited Cuba
and demonstrates the will of Italy to consolidate present and
future economic relations – and cabinet officials, seeking to
increase bilateral economic and trade relations. He said that
the trip “allowed establishing many agreements of mutual
interest for both nations” especially in sectors of energy,
agriculture, tourism and infrastructure that should be set
before October.
He referred to the intent of Italy to invest in the Special
Development Zone Mariel (ZEDM for its acronym in Spanish)
and for this purpose they presented 14 projects from six
companies.
He considered that in the past two years the Island and
Italy have worked intensely to strengthen their ties and in
this direction was a “finishing touch” the recent meeting in
Rome of the Cuban President and the Italian Prime minister,
who he will travel to Cuba next October, reported Giro.
Indeed, last May 10 the Cuban President of the Councils of
State and Ministers Raúl Castro Ruz expressed in Rome that
relations with Italy are very good and expressed the role of that
nation in negotiations of the Island with the European Union.
Together with the Italian Prime Minister Matteo Renzi,
who received him in the Chigi Palace (headquarters of the
government) after his meeting with the Supreme Pontiff the
Cuban president was assured that with this country and the
current government there will be a great advance. There are
differences, but we must learn to live with them, as we are
doing with the United States, Raúl emphasized.
For his part Renzi said that his country wants to be a
protagonist in this new page of history and with Cuba we will
fight together against injustice and poverty.
Two months later in Havana the under secretary Mario Giro
qualified the exchange with the Cuban part as fruitful as well
as meetings with several ministers and specialists with whom
several agreements were made in the sectors of energy,
agriculture, food, tourism, constructions and infrastructure.
Among the most immediate proposals and of greater
interest for the visiting business persons, in addition to
the projects for the ZEDM, he mentioned the setting up of
three eolic parks in the eastern region of Cuba, in addition
to the restoration and design center in the historical center
of Old Havana. In addition he announced the opening of a
commercial office to boost the continuity of he called historical
and common bilateral relation with significant moments such
as the visit of Raúl to Rome.
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20
Events
Giro explained that many of these projects are in the study
phase and should be concluded on the occasion of the visit of
the Italian Prime Minister, Matteo Renzi to Cuba, scheduled
for October. He praised the preparation of the Cuban
specialists and officials, demonstrated in the presentation of
the studies made for each project with a vision of sustainable
development.
For his part the vice minister of Economic Development
of Italy, Carlo Calenda, met with representatives of different
sectors of the Island in a business forum and had met with
several ministers. It is the interest of the Italian government
and business sector to work together with the Cubans
constructively to strengthen the already historical bonds.
The road Cuba is taking is very respected, Calenda said,
and pointed out that the changes the Island is taking in favor
of its economic development is a process in which Italy wants
to contribute with a larger presence in this market.
The vice minister of the Ministry of Foreign Trade and
Investment (Mincex), Ileana Núñez, called on both delegations
to identify new business and investment opportunities that
contribute to diversify commercial exchange and invited
the visiting business persons to participate in the upcoming
International Fair of Havana.
Two Italian banking institutions, Sace and Intensa Sao
Paulo signed at the meeting an agreement valued at 80
million Euros to facilitate the emission of letters of credits for
Italians residing in the Island.
At the opening of this Forum participated Undersecretary
Mario Giro; Guido Rosa, president of the Technical Committee
of the Banking Association of Italy and Lycia Mattioli, head
of the Technical Committee for Internationalization of the
Confederation of Industries. They mentioned the importance
of this mission to open a new stage in bilateral relations and
cooperation in sectors such as tourism and health.
The mission was organized by the General Confederation
of Italian Industry, the Institute of Foreign Trade, the Banking
Association and the Alliance for Cooperatives and Cameral Unions.
The delegation visited the ZEDM and its terminal of
containers.
In these past years Italy has been one of the 10 first trade
partners with the Island and second from the Old Continent
with an increase of exports. It also occupies second place of
the European nations with more branches established in Cuba.
This is proof that the business persons of both parts managed
to identify mutually beneficial business opportunities and the
many possibilities for joint work and credits that help a better
insertion in the respective markets.
Among other milestones in relations between both nations,
let us note that the Mediterranean country was the guest of
honor in the past International Fair of Tourism and last March
the Island was visited by the Minister of Foreign Affairs and
International Cooperation, Paolo Gentiloni who was received
by the Cuban president Raúl Castro.
Sources: AIN and PL
Raúl and Italian Prime Minister
Matteo Renzi in Rome last May
/ INTERNET
In the
Business
Forum
both parts
managed
to identify
business
opportunities
mutually
beneficial
/ INTERNET
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21
Events
Cuba-United States
The lifting of
the blockade
offers business
opportunities to
important US
companies
/ JORGE
LEGAÑOA
The challenges and benefits are
also economic and commercial
O
n January 3, 1961 Washington closed its embassy
in Havana, beginning 54 years of harassment and
hostilities. After six months of negotiations, on July 20 of
2015 bilateral relations were established between Cuba and
the United States according to a simultaneous announcement
and exchange of letters on July 1 between our president Raúl
Castro Ruz and US president Barack Obama.
In their letters both acknowledged the reciprocal intention
of developing respectful relations, of cooperation, according
with the principlesand purposes of theUnited Nations
Charterand International Law, and the spiritandthe rules
establishingtheVienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations of
1961andthe Vienna Conventionon Consular Relations of1963,
of which both nations are State Part.
The Cuban government as affirmed that resume nexus and
opening of diplomatic legations as the first stage of a long
and complex process towards the normalization of relations
that will take more time. It is now necessary to deal with
issues derived from the aggressive policies of the northern
country against the Island that damaged and even affect the
Cuban people and nation.
The main issue is the blockade decreed on February 3,
1962 (strengthened latter by other regulations), rejected
by almost the totality of the planet and still intact although
President Obama has made more flexible some of the
measures. Others could also receive the coup de grace but
most can only be cancelled by Congress.
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22
Events
Cuba claims that this group of regulations and laws, whose
sole purpose is to surrender the peopledue to hunger and
diseases, has been the main obstacle for its development
and demands its repeal every year since 1992 in the General
Assembly of the United Nations (UN).
The last report placed before the assembly states: “The
economic damage caused to the Cuban people by the
application of the economic, commercial and financial
blockade of the United States againstCuba, considering the
depreciation of the dollar against the value of gold in the
international market is about1 112 534 000 000 dollars in
spite of the reduction of the price of gold as compared to the
previous period. At current prices, during all these years, the
blockade has caused damages for more than 116 880 million
US dollars”.
The demand of the Cuban people against the government
of the United States for economic damages to Cuba was sent
to court a few years ago by organizations of the civilian society
in the First Civil and Administrative Hall of the Provincial Court
of the city of Habana, claiming that from the beginning the
measures applied by the United States caused market losses
for its main exports and its fundamental sources of supply
since 70% of its commercial exchange was made with the
United States.
Experts and witnesses indicated the negative financial
effect of having to apply to markets at a long distance to
purchase products (including medicines or raw materials to
produce them) with the following interruptions in supply, the
need to have large inventories and problems derived from the
transportation.
This demand claims that industrial sectors required
millionaire investmentsfor the conversion of production
technologies, often in unfavorable situations in vital sectors.
The restrictive measures intended to prevent, also, all
maritime commerce. The blacklists of ships of any nationality
that had commerce with Cuba, in force for 14 years, after a
brief suspension were reestablished in 1992 by the Torricelli
Law causing between other damages, the increase in freight
rates.
Added are losses due to the prohibition to US citizens
to travel to Cuba; the refusals to Cuban airplanes for
commercial flights to the United States; the impossibility of
using the shorter routes to a certain destinations; the need of
making more stopovers and operating with equipment with
technological disadvantages.
This Demand states that the radical cuts of traditional
financing sources inside and outside of the United States and
the enormous loss by freezing funds, exchange rates with
the dollar on foreign trade and external debt, damages by
prices and interest rates, loss of opportunities to receive
credit facilities, are among the many damages to the foreign
financial sector.
Currently the experts assure that, in spite of the deep
divergences, confidence can be built to allow covering
the subjects mentioned and others of seriousness and
discrepancies such as the occupation of part of Cuban
territory in Guantanamo and the need to compensate Cuba
for the damages caused in so many years of siege.
It will be a long, complex and not lacking of paradoxes
process, a reflection of the dichotomy posture in relation to
Cuba inside the spheres of power of the colossal country.
For example, on May 29 Cuba was removed from the list of
countries that promote terrorism, however, to date, enormous
fines were applied to two banks for financial relations with
the Island.
Presidents Raúl Castro and Barack Obama
announced on December 17 of 2014 the
beginning of a dialogue to reestablish
relations
Stonegate Bank, of Florida, and the
Banco Internacional de Comercio
signed an agreement that would allow
payment and transactions between
both countries
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23
Events
Seven of every 10 Cubans have
been born or lived under the economic,
financial and trade prohibitions
imposed by the United States
In addition, it is necessary to act knowing that the potency
has changed its failed policy but maintains its strategic
objective regarding Cuba.
José Luis Rodríguez, a prestigious specialist of the
Research Center of World Economy recalled that, although in
one direction, there have been tiessince 2001, framed in the
approval by the William Clinton administration in 2000 a Law
to Reform Commercial Sanctions and Extend ….Exports to
permit, exceptionally, the sale of food and medicines.
Adopted after the damages cause of several hurricanes,
however, it contained important restrictions and did not modify
other regulations of the blockade. These purchases required
authorization of the US Treasury;operations had to be paid
in advancein cash and not in US dollars and transportation
had to be done in ships contracted by the sellers in the
United States. Added to this law is the additionalprohibition
regarding tourist trips to the Caribbean Island.
The expert explains that, in spite of these difficulties
this trade was beneficial to Cuba. “Cuban purchases of US
agricultural products amounted –according to the Cuban
Statistical yearbook– 5 802 million pesos in the period
between 2002 and 2013 that, however represented 4,7 % of
the total imports of the country demonstrating a decreasing
tendency after a maximum of 598 million reached in 2008”.
Rodríguez also explained that to transcend this limited
scenario the blockade must be remove and although President
Obama, who has called for its lifting, conserves important
faculties to do it, the final decision is in the hands of Congress
dominated by a conservative vision and, in many cases, anti
Cuban in the Republican Party.
He assures that lifting the blockade “offers an opportunity
for business with the Island that does not escape the
consideration of important US companies and have said so
publicly. On the other hand, for Cuba these economic ties
with the United States present a business potential and a
significant challenge in a series of areas linked to the strategy
of development”.
Thereon José Luis Pirelli Cabrera, Economic Science PhD
from the Center of Tourism Studies of the University of
Havana, has commented that commerceand tourism are of
mutual interest. “Cuba will buy, from a commercial point of
view, a large quantity of products at a lower cost due to
the closeness and the United States will sell a large quantity
of products to Cuba increasing its market level”. He also
pointed out that this Northern nation is the largest emitter
of tourism toward this part of the world and is characterized
by high levels of expenditures where it visits representing an
economic advantage for both countries.
In fact, there are many studies and reflections regarding
this subject.
According to figures mentioned, without
the blockade the United States would purchase from
Cuba premium cigars for a value of 400 million a year; a
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24
Events
publication of the Spanish credit insurance company Solunion,
assures that without the blockade exports to Cuba from the
Northerncountry would increase at a rhythm of 1 000 million
dollars a year.
In the same line, a Forbes magazine report reported
that there are innumerable opportunities in Cuba for US
manufacturing and service industries but the longer persists
the trade embargo, the opportunities will be less. “The United
States Chamber of Commerce, representing US companies
wants Congress to lift the blockade. The same occurs with
most US citizens.
Also a report of the Euler Hermes company, world leader in
credit insurances indicated that “with the end of the embargo
potentially in view, the United States is in a position to be the
most important winner, increasing its exports to Cuba on an
average of 1 000 million dollars a year”.
With offices in more than 50 countries of the Americas,
Europe, Africa, Asia-Pacific and Middle East this company
estimates “revenues by US exports to Cuba could reach 6
000 million dollars in 2020 representing 25% of the total of
imports” of the Island. The report also informs that other
important commercial partners would benefit from trade with
Cuba, including China, Spain, Brazil and France.
A scenario that, as recognized by other economists,
companies, institutions and agencies would boost the Cuban
economy and stimulate foreign investment that could grow
significantly in the coming years.
Ignoring calculations and speculations, reality reveals that
only with the flexibility of travel to Cuba in January, now
allowed for 12 categories, during the first half of the year 88
900 persons traveled to Cuba, representing 54 % more than
in 2014.
Varioussources refer tothe newForeign Investment
Law, the SpecialDevelopment ZoneMarielandits Container
Terminal, as partof changes inthe Cuban economythat will
benefitthe new contextbetweenCubaand the United States,
andthe relaxation ofrestrictions. At the same time mention
the potential of the Port folio of Opportunities for Foreign
Investment in Cuba, with 246 projects for an estimated value
in 8700 million.
In fact, the experts consider very important the pressure
applied by US companies due to the possibilities of business,
trade and investment that Cuba offers and logically, while the
blockade persists these areas will be exploited by other countries.
For years Venezuela, China, Russia, Spain, Canada,
Netherlands, Brazil, Mexico,Italy and France, between other
nations have been trade partners, have done business
and executed important projects with Cuba. Recently
government officials from almost all the continents have
come accompanied by business personalities and agents
of important companies to gain a foothold in relations and
expand economic opportunities.
For its part the European Union is rapidly moving to sign
in 2015 the Agreement of Political Dialogue and Cooperation
with Cuba. After four rounds of talks significant results have
been obtained in trade – a subject also covered in this issue.
Meanwhile the US media, business personalities,
corporations and farmers are dismayed because every day
that passes the blockade reduces opportunities for companies
and their business executives, and experts from that same
country assure that if opposition continues against his
strategy, Obama must continue to use his executive faculties
to relax prohibitions and settle some trade exchanges that
could bring down the siege.
That is what it’s about because to reach the total and
complete reestablishment of relations between both nations,
in addition to policy it must also be economic and trade, the
first thing is to eliminate totally and absolutely the blockade.
Sources: AIN, PL, Granma and Cuba Contemporánea. Photos:
INTERNET
From January
to June 88 900
visitors from the
north arrived
in the country,
representing 54 %
more than in 2014
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25
Events
Cuba and Germany
relationship and cooperation
on new bases
Steinmeier and
Malmierca during talks
T
he German Foreign Minister Frank-Walter Steinmeier, who visited the island for two days, met on 17
July with our Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment, Rodrigo Malmierca, at which they said their
trip meant the relaunch of bilateral relations and facilitated the establishment of the foundations of new
mechanisms of political, economic and cultural cooperation.
Previously, the distinguished visitor was received by President of the Councils of State and Ministers
of Cuba, Raul Castro Ruz, with whom he discussed the "broad potential" for mutual development of
economic , trade and cooperation ties and issues of the international agenda.
During the cordial meeting, both stressed the importance of this first visit to Cuba of a German Foreign
Minister, who stressed his interest in strengthening exchange and to open here a commercial representation,
aspect discussed at a meeting with his counterpart Bruno Rodríguez, and about which they agreed specify
the basis for such a facility
Indeed, commercial interests were an important part of this visit, reason that Steinmeier came with a
delegation of representatives of the Teutonic economic sector.
With Cuban Foreign Minister also established the basis of the political, economic cooperation and
cultural exchange, signed a Joint Declaration on Cooperation between Governments and a memorandum
on the establishment of a Political Consultations Mechanism. "It's a historic moment we are living now,"
said Steinmeier, member of the Social Democratic Party (SPD) and who also visited projects with German
cooperation.
The last visit by a representative of the German Federal Government dates back to the times of the
coalition of Social Democrats and Greens led by Chancellor Gerhard Schröder, 14 years ago. At that time
in our country were the then ministers of Economic Cooperation and Development Heidemarie WieczorekZeul and Economy Werner Müller.
Cuba occupies a modest 101 place in the ranking of German exports and 125 regarding imports.
Sources: ACN and PL. Photo: INTERNET
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Special Articles
Cuba and its opportunities
for foreign investment
By Dr. Elvira Castro Cossío
General Director of Associate Consultants (Conas)
The Cuban market as a plaza for investments
T
he Cuban archipelago is located at the entrance to
the Gulf of Mexico, in the Caribbean Sea. It is formed
by the largest island, Cuba, the Isle of Youth and other 4
195 keys, islets and adjacent islands with a total surface
of109 884,01 km². Most of the territory is formed by plains.
Noteworthy is the beauty of the beaches and work being
done to conserve the historical and cultural heritage from the
early towns founded during colonial times until to events of
our times.
It has a subtropical climate with an average temperature
of 25o C in summer and 22o C in a short winter.
According to the last census, the population is about 11
million inhabitants with a high educational level and mostly
concentrated in urban regions. It has reached indexes of
human development similar to those of developed nations.
Also converge in the
market about three million
tourists per year, mostly
from European countries,
Canada and Latin America.
A rise is foreseen in the near
future.
Cuba is part of the
Bolivarian Alliance for the
Peoples of Our AmericaTreaty of Trade of the
Peoples
(Alba-TCP
for
its acronym in Spanish)
together with Venezuela,
Bolivia, Nicaragua, Dominica,
Ecuador and other Caribbean
nations participating in integration agreements
adopted.
At the same time it is a member of the
Community of Latin American and Caribbean
States (Celac), of the Latin American Association
of Integration (Aladi), of the Latin American
Economic System (Sela) of the Economic
Commission for Latin America and the Caribbean
(Eclac), of the Association of Caribbean States
(AEC) and the Caribbean Forum (Cariforum).
It has 25 airports, 10with category of
international operations and 32 trade ports
distributed throughout the country. About 45 km
west of Havana is the Special Development Zone
Mariel, which has among its objectives is to create
a logistic system that allows high levels of efficiency
in the import, export and distribution of products.
For this purpose it has a modern terminal of
Containers equipped with state of the art technology and aims
to set up air-port installations in the Zone and neighboring
regions and interconnection with national territory through
roads and railroads and communications infrastructure.
The country is immersed in a process of updating its
economic model to construct a more efficient and sustainable
economy to guarantee a rise in the level of life and welfare
of the population. A very important part in the strategy of
Development is foreign investment, according to a group of
Guidelines of the Economic and Social Policy approved in the
6th Congress of the Cuban Communist Party (CCP).
A significant level of investments is required for the
modernization of the industry, to increase production of
food and other goods that could substitute imports, the
development of renewable
energies, improvement of
the infrastructure (including
technologies of information)
and the production of goods
and services with a high
added value that would
increase the level of exports
of the country.
In
correspondence
with the above mentioned,
this study aims to guide
business persons on how
to have access to these
business opportunities in
Cuba, the legal framework
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27
Special Articles
applied, the attractions of the market and the role in this
process of specialized consultancy services, especially Consult
ores Asociados. (Conas), constituted in 1991 and associate
member of the Chamber of Commerce of the Republic of
Cuba (CCCR). Its main mission is to guide its clients towards
a better professional services of consultancy and auditing,
with a focus on a competitive management based on a multidisciplinary team, integral and innovative, able to satisfy the
expectancy of the interested parties.
Foreign Investment in Cuba
For more than 20 years Cuba counts on foreign investment
in several sectors of the economy, mainly in oil, mining,
tourism, industry and others, with participation of several
well-known international companies.
Its legal framework is founded on the Constitution of the
Republic of Cuba, which states among other forms of property,
joint ventures, societies and economic associations.
On March 29 of 2014 the National Assembly of Popular
Power approved Law no. 118 of Foreign Investment which
defined that foreign investment in the country be directed
to the diversification and enlargement of the export markets,
access to advanced technologies and the substitution of
imports giving priority to food. In the same manner, obtain
foreign financing; to create new sources of work, attracting
management methods and linking it with the development of
productive chains as well as the change in the energy matrix
of the country through taking advantage of renewable energy
sources1.
In addition through Decree no. 325/2014 was approved
the Regulation of the Law of Foreign Investment and
complementary measures has been issued by the Ministry of
Foreign Trade and Investment (Mincex), the Central Bank of
Cuba and the Ministry of Labor and Social Security as well as
Agreement no. 7567/2014 of the Council of Ministers.
The law recognizes the existence of the following modes
of foreign investment:
1) Joint Venture. Its constitution implies the formation of
different corporate body to the parties, adopting the form
as an anonymous owned company through nominal actions.
1
The structure of the participation of the parties in
social capital is agreed upon by the partners and
established in the governmental authorization.
2) Contract
of
international
economic
association, IEA. This includes risk contracts for
the exploration of non-renewable natural resources,
for the construction, agricultural production, hotel,
productive or services administration or contracts to
offer professional services.
3) Total foreign capital Company in which the
foreign investor can establish in national territory as:
a) Private person, acting for themselves.
b)Juridical person, beinga Cuban branch of
a foreignentity of which it is the owner under the form of
anonymous owned company by nominal actions.
c) Juridical person, establishing a branch of a foreign entity.
Three levels of government approval are established
regarding business projects with foreign investment:
1. The Council of State approves foreign investment when
done for management of public services or when there is
an intention of exploiting non-renewable natural resources
through a modality that is not a Risk Contract of International
Economic Association.
2. The Council of Ministers approves authorization of
foreign investment in the remaining cases except those that
have expressly delegated this power to certain heads of the
bodies of the Central Administration of the State on sectors
and modalities of its competence.
3. Currently delegation of faculty approval mentioned in
the previous item have been done to:
a) The minister of Foreign Trade and Investment for
contracts of international economic association whose
intention is the productive and services administration and
offer of professional services.
b) The minister of Tourism for international economic
associations for hotel administration.
Article 3. Law no. 118/2014, Law of Foreign Investment.
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Special Articles
Attractive
investment
legal
framework
for
foreign
Among these attractions of the legal framework are:
- Guarantees offered to foreign investors in terms of
noexpropriation.
- Possibility of Investments in all sectors except in services
of health and education in the population and armed forces.
- General and sector policies for foreign investment and
with a Portfolio of Opportunities for Foreign investment
published by Mincex, previously approved by the Council of
Ministers and based on the technical and economic feasibility
of each Project object of promotion.
- The special system of taxation is similar to other countries
that are among themain recipients of foreign investment in
the region of Latin America and the Caribbean.
Among these incentives are:
a) Exempt of taxation on utilities during the first eight
years of the constitution of the business with the possibility
of an extension as well as when a reinvestment of utilities
is approved. Afterwards a general rate applicable is 15 %
except for companies of total foreign capital and some IEA
contracts or could be increased in the cases of exploitation of
natural resources.
b) Exempt of custom tariff on imports of equipment,
machinery and other articles during the investment process.
c) Exempt of payment of territorial contribution for local
development during the investmentrecovery period.
d) Exempt of payment of taxation of the repatriation of
dividends or benefits of the business.
- Attention is given to the Protection of intellectual property,
conservation of the environment and rational use of natural
resources.
Policy of foreign investment
In the policy of Foreign Investment approved are general
and sector principles. These general principles are2:
1. Consider foreign investment as a source of economic
development for the country.
2. Encourage the diversification in the participation of
business persons from different countries.
3. Give priority to the promotion of the Special Development
Zones beginning work in the Mariel Zone.
4. Guide most of the Foreign Investments towards sectors
of exportation. Additionally direct then to the elimination
of bottlenecks in the productive chain, favoring the
2
modernization, infrastructure and change in the technological
pattern of the economy as well as guaranteeing the efficient
satisfaction of the necessities of the country in the aim to
substitute imports.
5. Contribute to the change of the energy matrix of the
country taking advantage of renewable sources of energy
with the use of solar energy, eolic and hydraulic as well as
the use of bio mass that includes cane, forest and marabou
as well as other sources such as biogas.
6. Maintain the figure of the employment entity for
contracting work force. The salary will be conditioned to the
work done, the efficiency and added value that the company
generates.
7. Deficit of constructive capacity of the country cannot
prevent the development of the investment process with
foreign capital. Consequently alternatives can be evaluated
that would be more convenient.
8. No exclusive rights in the Cuban market are granted to
the foreign partner who, under equal conditions with third
parties, could be supplied and be the client of the business.
Defined as priority sectors for foreign investment are;
agricultural production and food industry; tourism including
of health, and export of medical services; development of
sources of energy specially renewable; exploration and
exploitation of hydrocarbons and mining resources and
construction or improvement of industrial infrastructures
(sugar, light, chemical, electronic, pharmaceutical and bio
technology industries). Also promoted are projects related to
construction, transportation and wholesale commerce.
For each of these sectors were set up the activities that
are of interest to develop with foreign investment. This does
not exclude the possibility of evaluation punctually other
projects of investment complying with the regulations of the
Law of Foreign Investment.
Foreign investment in the Special Development
Zone Mariel (ZEDM for its acronym in Spanish)
Decree Law no. 313/2013 decides the creation of the
ZEDM conceived with an integral and harmonious character
bonded to the rest of the economy.
The functioning of the Zone is ruled by its Regulation,
Decree no.316 of the Executive Committee of the Council of
Ministers and complementary resolutions of the Central Bank
of Cuba, the General Customs of the Republic and several
ministries.
Among the objectives planned for the ZEDM is the
attraction of foreign investment using clean technologies and
the production of goods and services of added value based
on knowledge and innovation.
Investments made by national entities or of any modality
of foreign investment foreseen by the Law through its
establishment as concessionaire or as user. Promoted are the
development of new businesses in infrastructure development
of the Zone, real estate, biotechnology, development and
production of medicines, industry of packaging, renewable
energies, agriculture, the light industry, telecommunications
and computer sciences.
Portfolio of Opportunities for Foreign Investment. Year 2014. Mincex.
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Special Articles
For the administration and conduction of its Program
of Development and Business, through the Territorial and
Urban Order Plan, was created the Office of the Zone that
has among its functions to evaluate applications presented
for the establishment such as concessionaires and users.
The General Director of the Office, aided by a commission,
evaluates the documents presented and submitted to the
Council of Ministers for the approval the applications of
foreign investment that should be authorized by this body or
proceed to approve or deny those that it should resolve.
The ZEDM is noteworthy due to the concession
of an attractive tax and salary system as well as
incentives given to the investor that are higher in
relation to anywhere else in the country. Among
these benefits are:
- Special salary regime. The salary for workers
contracted by concessionaires and users of the
ZEDM are higher taking as reference the rest of the
country.
- Special tax regime. The concessionaires and
users are exempt from the following obligations:
a) Tax on utilities during 10 years that can be
extended prior approval of the Ministry of Finance
and Prices (MFP for its acronym in Spanish) in cases
of interest for the country.
b) Customs tax for articles, equipment and goods
imported for the investment process in the Zone.
c) Tax on sales or on services during the first
year of operations.
d) Territorial contribution for local Development.
Fiscal obligations applicable after a period of
extension are:
a) Tax rate of a 12 % on utilities tax.
b) A 1 % tax rate for payment of taxes on sales
ore services.
- Special custom’s treatment with the aim to
simplify procedures and terms for the registration,
request and granting of custom’s regimes.
Currently are under evaluation the placements of
concessionaires and users in the northern part of Sector A
of the ZEDM. For the development of negotiations minimum
values of land were issued in correspondence to the level
of urban development of each zone of that part as well as
coefficients to apply according to the projected year life
business years for the determination in each case of the
value of the land in surface rights or usufruct.
To determine the value of land an evaluation is required
that should be certified by the MFP.
How to undertake a project of foreign
investment?
In summary to commence a project of foreign investment
in Cuba the following procedures should by followed in stages:
In the exploratory period should be consulted in the
first instance the promotional materials presented on Cuba
as a destination for investment, the main regulations in
force, general and sector policies for foreign investment
and opportunities of investment identified in the Portfolio
of Investments of the country. This information
can be obtained in Internet and/or contacting
the specialized entities such as the Center for
the Promotion of Trade and Foreign Investment
(Cepec), the Chamber of Commerce of the
Republic of Cuba and consultants established in
Cuba. Afterwards communication must proceed
with national entities that promote investment
projects in portfolio and/or with business groups
that develop economic activities intended to
carry out in Cuba, to evaluate the beginning of
negotiations.
During
development
of
negotiations
documents are made that become the file to
submit to the government approval that should
include, primarily:
- A study of the technical and economic
feasibility of the project that should comply with
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30
Special Articles
the methodological bases established in Resolution
129/21014 of Mincex. Within particularly important is
the market research study made as the basis of the
project of investment.
- Proposal of constitutive legal documents of the
business.
a) In the cases of joint ventures refers to the
Agreement of Association and Social Statutes.
b) In IEA contracts, the Contract itself.
c) In totally foreign capital companies, would be the
Social Statutes, if it is pertinent.
- Valuations of the contribution of assets of the parties
in the case of proposing a joint venture or contribution
of each referred in an IEA Contract.
- Documents established by Law that accredits the
identity and solvency of the foreign investor as well as the
legal power or representation when pertinent, duly legalized
and notarized to take effect in Cuba.
Valuation of the assets that provide national and foreign
investors should be made by an independent entity. In Cuba
are entitled to it the following enterprises: Conas, Intermar,
Bandec and Adesa. Also the Ministry of Finances and Prices
can authorize a foreign company of well-known prestige to
make such valuation.
Economic studies and legal documents required can
be made by the parts or partners during the negotiation
process; although it is recommended to contract the services
of independent consultants specialized in the constitution
of international businesses. Therefore the constitutive
documents, study of technical and economic feasibility and
valuation of the actives can be made at the same time and
are intimately related with an improvement of the efficiency
of the process.
Contribution of Conas to the development of
foreign investment in Cuba
Conas is a mercantile society that offers professional
services through the application of standards commonly
accepted in international practice. In its list of clients are
included the main businesses for foreign capital established
the country, among which are: Etecsa; Havana Club;
Habanos; PDVSA Cuba; Cuvenpetrol; Banco Industrial de
Venezuela; Sherrit Oil & Gas; Castrol; Iberostar hotel chain
and Cervecería Bucanero, as well as institutions of the
national banking system and industries of biotechnology, oil,
mining, food and others.
It has offered services for the constitution of significant
part of the businesses with foreign capital that operate in
Cuba and abroad.
More than 35 % of professionals hold masters,
specializations and PhD in Sciences.
It has a network of offices in the provinces of La Habana,
Matanzas, Cienfuegos, Camagüey, Holguín and Santiago de
Cuba.
Conas can help business persons interested in the Cuban
market in:
1) The organization of events and/or meeting programs,
visits for exploration and beginning of negotiations.
2) Execution of migration procedures either immediately or
not for foreigners and modalities of foreign investment based
in Cuba.
3) Advice services regarding foreign trade, foreign
investment and business management.
4) Elaboration of market studies and economic and
financial feasibility necessary for the foundation of a business
proposal.
5) Valuations of the actives that contribute to the business,
for their later certification by MFP.
6) Services of consultation, training and auditing for an
improved management of ongoing business.
7) Technical opinions on issues above mentioned.
The Consultancy has a broad volume of knowledge
that allows differentiating itself as a Consultancy par
excellence for foreign investment and international
business in Cuba.
For more information contact us in:
Ave. 5ta. no. 2201 esq. a 22, Miramar, Playa, La Habana,
Cuba
Telephone: (53) 72042988 / 72044116
Emails: [email protected] / [email protected]
Web: www.conas.cu
References:
- Official Gazette of the Republic of Cuba
- Cuban Communist Party. Guidelines of Economic and
Social Policy of the Party and Revolution, 2011.
Photos: INTERNET
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Special Articles
Near Cuba and the European Union
to achieve political agreement
ith substantial progress on various issues and
W
exchanges on more specific bases in the political
dialogue, concluded in Havana on September 10 the V round of
negotiations between Cuba and the European Union (EU), at
which the parties said they were very close an understanding
on almost all elements related to the trade chapter, and
worked in a respectful, constructive and professional manner,
reflecting the commitment to further deepen relations and
moving towards the conclusion of the Bilateral Agreement on
Political Dialogue and Cooperation.
The Deputy Foreign Minister and head of the Cuban
delegation, Abelardo Moreno said that in aspects of
cooperation “there are onlydetails”; results that correspond
to expectations, because the issues that concern both the
EU and Cuba are present in the projects. They began, he
said, a detailed analysis about the political dialogue and
identified the key issues that will be discussed: the fight
against discrimination, human rights and trafficking in small
and light weapons.
The Executive Director for the Americas of the European
External Action Service of the EU, Christian Leffler, in front
ofthe community representation, said that strengthened
and solidified the texts of cooperation, trade and economic
exchange, that which all proposalstextssubmittedwere
reviewed and that this round allowed to increase mutual
understanding. “We are ingood position – he said -for in the
next round to achieve progresson issuesof politicaldialogue.”
Both agreed that there are different opinions in many
respects, but they approach positions, because there are
notpoints of disagreement but rather differences in points of
view. Moreno said that there is an almost endless list of items
that may enhance, expand and deepen cooperation.
The heads of both teams of negotiators
Leffler reported that as of progress is on track to achieve
a comprehensive understanding on cooperation. For the first
time deepened as regards the political dialogue on more
specific bases, he said, “which allowed clarifying the scope
of that chapter and a significantly closer to what we want to
do in this context.”
The developed work puts us in a good position to progress
in the next round on the political issue, as was done this
time in the areas of trade and cooperation, the European
representative said, and mentioned the good atmosphere
of discussion and mutual commitment to move forward to
conclude a firm agreement, which lasts for years.
Isworth noted that both parties have trade and cooperation,
and many EU members’countries have embassies in Cuba.
According to Leffler, do not try to impose models or
speeches, but to establish a framework to help consolidate
multilateral exchanges, and in a debate in the Foreign Affairs
Committee of the European Parliament on October 12, said
that progress it has been very good in the commercial pillars
and cooperation, and considered “technically possible” a deal
in the next meetings.
During the IV round, held in Brussels on 15 and 16 June,
significant results were achieved in the area of trade, virtually the
substantive part of this point in the Agreement was concluded,
and important results were achieved with regard cooperation.
The meetings were carried out on the agreed basis of
mutual understanding agreement in 2008, including: the
unconditional, reciprocal and non-discriminatory full respect
for the sovereign equality of States, to the legal framework
and the institutional order of the parties and total respect for
the principle of non-interference in the internal affairs of States.
Days before the V round Miguel Diaz-Canel, first vice
president of the Councils of State and Ministers of Cuba,
who led the delegation
the Caribbean island to
CELAC-EU Summit II
was received in Brussels
by Federica Mogherini,
High Representative of
the Union for Foreign
Affairs and Security
Policy.
This process began in
April 2014, following the
decision of the Council
of Foreign Ministers
of the block to invite
Cuba to begin talks, and
subsequent acceptance
of the Island. The
meetings have taken
place in Havana (I and
III) and Brussels (II and
IV). The VI will be in the
Belgian capital in late
November.
Sources: Cubaminrex,
Cubadebate,
AIN
and
Granma. Photo: INTERNET
Return to context
32
Special Articles
The Island makes its debut in
the World Economic Forum
F
ar from other times when their realities were debated
without counting on it, Cuba was the star in the panel
“Economic update of Cuba and opportunities for investment”
that was included in the program of the tenth World Economic
Forum for Latin America held in Cancun between May 6 and
9. Participating were presidents, prime ministers, officials of
world companies and other personalities from 45 nations.
Designed especially to present the business opportunities
arising from the new Law of Foreign Investment and the
update of its economic model, it was led by the Cuban
minister of Finances and Prices, Lina Pedraza with the
collaboration of the general director of Foreign Investment of
the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Investment (Mincex for its
acronym in Spanish), Déborah Rivas, constituting the debut
of the Caribbean Island in this Forum.
In the inauguration, the President of the host nation,
Enrique Peña Nieto, expressed pleasure over the presence
of a Cuban delegation and other officials responsible for the
organization of the continental event made similar statements.
The president confirmed that, in general, the participants
demonstrated attraction for the Island: “There is a great
interest of business person from the United States and Latin
America regarding investment opportunities in Cuba”.
The head of Mexican diplomacy, José Antonio Meade,
pointed out that “Mexico accompanies and supports the
process of updating the Cuban model and hopes that Mexican
and Latin American business persons take advantages of
the opportunities generated by the new Law of Foreign
Investment in the Caribbean nation”.
For his part the secretary of Economy of the host nation,
Ildefonso Guajardo, widely explained the “opportunities open
to investors of the region following the implementation of the
process of updating the economic model in this Caribbean
nation”.
Lina Pedraza said that the Cuban model is “an economy
with socialist character based on protects state ownership
of the basic, strategic means of production” and that her
government “has reached a stabilization of macroeconomic
indicators, is participating in productive negotiations with
foreign creditors and advances to eliminate its dual currency
system.”
She said that in the updating process of the Cuban
economy, foreign investments are fundamental to curtail
inflation, maintaining a surplus in foreign trade balance, lower
dependence on food imports and give priority to tourism,
medical services and biotechnology.
She also explained that Cuba is “optimistic about the
revival of the island in the Latin American community” and
have received many expressions of support and proposals of
working together, especially with Mexican businessmen. She
said Cuba’s first participation in this forum has exceeded all
expectations. “We were surprised, has far exceeded what we
expected”, she explained.
In an exclusive interview for Prensa Latina (PL) the Minister
of Finances and Prices mentioned that in the plenary and
bilateral meetings there was much interest expressed about
the process of updating the Cuban model and enthusiasm to
learn the possibilities of investment and even this be quick,
and also referred to the willingness of US business persons
to accelerate its ties with Cuba. “We were asked what to do
and have answered that it is necessary to work within their
country to speed up the end of the economic, financial and
commercial blockade of the United States against Cuba that,
in the case of the US companies, remains intact”.
She explained that the presentation of the Cuban Portfolio
of Business was attended by hundreds of entrepreneurs
that required opening an adjoining hall with closed circuit
television. “Mexico is very interested in participating with
Cuba in the tourism market as well as other sectors in which
we need foreign capital”.
Rivas explained the opportunities of the agro food sector
and that represents an imports bill in our country for more
than 2 000 million dollars a year. The agro food sector
is vital for us; she emphasized and recalled that the first
user that operates direct foreign investment in the Special
Development Zone Mariel is a Mexican company that is
going to produce food.
Pedraza qualified as very positive the Cuban participation
in this event of the Forum “in which prevailed respect to Cuba
and the interest of the Latin American and the United States
business persons over the opportunities of investment in our
country”.
It should be remembered that this special meeting for Latin
America joins other regionals worldwide to the world famous
Davos Forum which gathers the most powerful economic and
financial interest in the planet.
Sources: PL and Cubadebate . Photo: INTERNET
Return to context
33
Special Articles
Moments of the panel on Cuba. Present
at the event were more than 700
business persons, executives of multi
nationals and leaders of opinion
Return to context
34
Special Articles
With the minister of
Foreign Affairs,
Georges Rebelo Chikoti
Cuba-Angola cooperation consolidated
T
he vice president of the Cuban Council of Ministers,
Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz concluded, on July 17, a
four day visit to Angola in which he ratified the political
determination of both governments to systematize actions
for the consolidation of bilateral cooperation.
Cabrisas spoke with the vice president Manuel Domingos
Vicente with whom reviewed actions in priority sectors;
with the minister of Foreign Affairs Georges Rebelo Chikoti;
with representatives of the ministerial departments of
construction, health, finances, transportation, energy and
water, education, higher education and national defense. He
also met with Edeltrudes Costa, minister of State and head of
the Presidential Civilian House as well as with major general
Geraldo Sachipengo Nunda, head of the General Command of
the Angolan Armed Forces.
He was also received by Francisco de Lemos, president
of the Administration Council of the State owned Sociedad
Nacional de Combustibles (Sonangol) and Paixão Júnior
president of the Credit and Savings Bank (BPC).
He visited the logistic base Sonils of the Sonangol Company
and, after toured the installations, described as strong and
secure cooperation between both nations in the oil sector
and corroborated the perspectives for broad exchanges. In
addition he met with Cuban collaborators and staff of the
Embassy in Luanda.
Cabrisas and
Angolan vice
president,
Manuel
Domingos
Vicente
Return to context
35
Special Articles
There were 930
exhibitors from
40 countries
participating in
Filda 2015
In declarations to Prensa Latina, after the work meeting
of both delegations Cabrisas pointed out that there was a
“clear and precise evaluation of our relations in general and
particularly in cooperation”. Cuba and Angola, he said, are
committed to an important effort that is represented in all
sectors where collaboration has been developed in recent
years. “We have also reviewed difficulties of both parts but,
above all, have confirmed the will to continue moving forward
in the different sectors we have chosen for our bilateral
cooperation”.
Referring to the defiance and challenges, the Cuban official
responded that we all have them and both nations suffer the
impact of the global crisis. “In the case of Cuba it determined
limitations on access to markets and finances”. In the case of
Angola, he added, the prices of oil have meant an important
impact on its economy and it affects the relations as a whole.
“But the highlight is the will, the decision to continue moving
forward”. He noted that “we have overcome together major
difficulties and this be no exception”.
On the Angolan part the talks were headed by the Minister
of State and of the Presidential Civilian House Edeltrudes
Costa accompanied by other high ranking Angolan officials
and secretaries of State in several sectors.
“This visit is part of the strengthening of the historical
collaboration between both countries that requires regular
consultations”, also told Prensa Latina Francisco José Da Cruz,
Director for America in the Foreign Affairs Ministry of Angola,
He mentioned the dynamism of relations between both
countries that ‘justifies this kind of contact with specific
priorities in an attempt to achieve significant progress of
cooperation”. He added that existing projects of collaboration
were analyzed and recalled that in less than a year President
José Eduardo dos Santos visited Cuba and was the proper time
to sign agreements in the sectors of transportation, civilian
construction and public works for the 2014-2017 period.
It was important to analyze how this agreement was to
be implemented and said “we have had financial delays in
Angola due to the sudden fall of oil prices in the international
market”.
Previously Cuba participated in the Luanda Fair
The commercialization of Cuban products and services as
part of the collaboration with Angola predominated in the
participation of Cuba in the 32nd International Fair of Luanda
(Filda 2015) held from June 14 to 19. “This year Antex
strengthened cooperation work but also intends to broaden
and diversify sectors of the economy in which it works”, Axel
Mulet, business director of Imbodex of this corporation, told
Prensa Latina.
Added to the previous factors is “the commercialization of
products and services developed in our country in the fields
of medicines, technology and communication, among others”
said Mulet. “Angola is a market with broad possibilities
and we are obviously in a position to gradually incorporate
new products to services we perform as part of technical
assistance”.
We can sell, he explained, what we produce: medicines,
vaccines, technological products and also application of
computer sciences because practice has shown that we are
competitive and have quality products that can be inserted
in this market.
He predicted that future development of cooperation
and relations of the Island with Angola are moving towards
integral packages of services and trade, not only in technical
assistance but in the work and associations for projects.
During Cuba Day in the Fair there were many exhibitions
of products and services, such as one by Dr. Yanio
Hernández who designed software for the System of Hospital
Management and Dr. Iván Díaz who presented Heberprot-P, a
leading product of the Cuban Center of Genetic Engineering
and Biotechnology.
There were presentations in the Antex pavilion on the
impact of Cuban cooperation in Angola and shown the
progress of the Island in several sectors such as health and
education.
Angola and Cuba established diplomatic relations on
November 15, 1975 and a year later signed a General
Cooperation Agreement, on which basis was established the
Bilateral Commission. The governments of both countries
signed in 2014 a Memorandum of Understanding that has
an effect, basically, on the construction by Cuba of airports
in Angolan national territory scheduled for three years. In our
brother country they are assisting more than 4000 Cubans in
various sectors, particularly in health with 1800 doctors and
1400 teachers in education.
Sources: AIN, PL and Granma. Photos: INTERNET
Return to context
36
Current business situation
Tourist
Fair
takes
off
Minister Marrero Cruz
inaugurates the Fair
A
t the end of June, a news attracted considerable
attention: the Cuban tourist sector obtained an income
of more than 1700 million dollars in the first half of the year;
and the interest for Cuba destination and for the country
explains that the Island has acquired the second position in
the Caribbean, center of the smokeless industry.
Today tourism is the third source of income of the Cuban
economy and as such it is expected to pass in 2015 the record
of more than three million travelers in 2014 and with it, the
financial contribution of the sector, calculated in 2 700 million
dollars this year.
Just over a month before the release of these figures, was
inaugurated in the Meliá Jardines del Rey hotel –the last
premiere of the Cuban Gaviota group in the keys north of
Ciego de Ávila and administered by the Spanish chain- the
35th International Tourism Fair. It is the most important event
of the sector in Cuba.
More than 1 800 tour operators, business persons, travel
agents, representatives of airlines and journalists from 53
nations participated in FitCuba 2015 and were received by
the minister of the sector, Manuel Marrero, accompanied by
Ms Francesca Barracciu, undersecretary of State of Italy and
Mr. Carlos Vogeler, high ranking official of the World Tourism
Organization (WTO). Marrero greeted the delegation of about
120 professionals of the sector in the United States, pioneer
in the event.
Tourism in Cuba changes and develops without renouncing
its principles and history and with the commitment to receive,
equally, each and every visitor, Marrero explained in the
inauguration of the Fair. He listed the current and future
changes undertaken to diversify the tourism product and
placing Cuba as one of the best in the Caribbean, and that
this event takes place when tourism here is growing more
than 4 % in the arrival of international travelers and attracts
worldwide interest with new opportunities for business and
investment.
He mentioned that records were broken in the emission
of visitors from Canada, Chile, China, Switzerland, Colombia
and Uruguay; the income from this activity in 2014 was about
2 000 million dollars and continues the upward tendency of
national tourism, which already occupies second place among
the market issuers of vacationers in the island.
Referring to foreign investment he explained the interest
of doing business with foreign companies of international
prestige to administer and develop products in hotel and other
activities related with the sector, and which contributes with
their management to a better placement of the destination
in the world. He announced that negotiations are developing
with Spanish companies to establish in the coming months,
two new joint ventures to develop real estate complexes
associated to golf courses in the areas of Las Coloradas and
El Salado.
Return to context
It is intented to place Cuba
as one of the most popular
destinations in the Caribbean
37
With the incorporation of three new chains as operators
of hotels there are now 18 functioning that have chosen this
market, headed by the Spanish Meliá present in eight of the
main Cuban touristic poles, he explained.
Marrero explained the advance and consolidation of the
private sector as a complement to the state offer, with high
quality gastronomic and accommodation services. Already
there are more than 11 000 houses that rent rooms for
tourism.
The minister of Tourism emphasized that achieves high
standards of quality is a priority in the sector. However,
he added, the persistence of the economic, financial and
commercial blockade affects the development of Cuban
tourism and, especially forbids citizens of that nation travel
to Cuba for tourism purposes.
This edition of the largest Cuban tourist fair was dedicated
to nautical product, and the invited country as guest of honor
was Italy for continuing maintained between traditional
markets in issuing travelers to Cuba.
In the Meliá Jardines del Rey there was a broad program of
conferences by Cuban and foreign personalities, exhibition of
nautical equipment, gastronomic festivities, presentation of
goods and services, business rounds and visits to installations
of the region of Ciego de Avila.
With 16 hotels and more than 16 000 rooms, Jardines del
Rey concluded the winter season with the largest arrivals in
its history and was listed in the preference of markets such
as Canada and the United Kingdom. Work is ongoing in the
repair of roads, improvement and expansion of the hotel
infrastructure and creation of facilities in the sea resort.
FitCuba 2015 inaugurated two new spaces: one devoted
to business, announced the projects that Cuba is offering
to foreign capital to boost growth in the sector and the
other was an expo-fair of suppliers of several nations which
exhibited goods and useful services to enrich offers in the so
called leisure industry.
In the closing event the trade director of the Ministry
of Tourism (Mintur), María del Carmen Orellana, explained
that the business expo left contracts for administration and
commercialization of hotels and the development of other
products. One established the creation of a joint venture
between Cuba and China to undertake the real estate
complex associated to the golf course in Bello Monte Bello,
east of Havana.
The business director of Mintur, José Reinaldo Daniel
Alonso, and the president of Beijing Enterprise Group, Mr.
Wuang Dong, signed the document to begin a project that is
part of the alternatives to diversify tourism offers.
This fair will also be remembered for the opening up of the
climb park Tower of Glass, first of its kind in the Caribbean,
with a circuit of ropes in three levels –that reaches 16 meters
in height– with 90 different attractions of different degrees
of difficulty.
Sights will be directed at Havana, to host the 2016 event
dedicated to cultural products and with Canada as the guest
of honor country.
Sources: AIN and Xinhua. Photos: INTERNET
Climb park Tower of Glass,
first of its kind in the
Caribbean
Expo-fair, a
new space
Return to context
38
CNIC and its valuable
50 years
Miguel Díaz-Canel received special recognition for Fidel
/ JORGE LUIS GONZÁLEZ
T
he National Center of Scientific Research (CNIC for its
acronym in Spanish), an institution with a high degree
of development in natural, biomedical and technological
sciences, celebrated its half century on July 1 inspired by the
challenge and purpose of continued work to improve human
health and welfare.
Founded in 1965 by the historical leader of the Cuban
Revolution, Fidel Castro, the institution significantly marked
the history of sciences in this Island. It has trained more than
30 000 workers of the scientific and productive fields (389
of whom are 389 PhDs in Science) and has promoted seven
research centers.
Celebrating its anniversary was the 16th World Congress of
CNIC in the Havana Conventions Palace from June 22 to 26
that meets every five years. This time there were 600 experts
from more than 30 countries.
Planned for the exchange between specialists on subjects
developed by the Institution this time were technologies for
the manufacture of modern medical equipment, laser surgery,
equipment for the diagnosis of diseases and microbial agents
and technologies for the treatment of water.
The program included, among others, symposiums on
infectious diseases and vaccines, natural and traditional
medicine and natural products as well as forums on the
medical application of ozone and the environment.
Also there was an exposition and commercial fair that
exhibited novel biopharmaceutical products and were
promoted the most advanced lines in Cuba and the world,
supporting the establishment and/or strengthening of
cooperation between specialists and researchers.
During the event opening ceremony the director of the
center Dr. Blanca Rosa Hung recalled the words of Fidel in its
inauguration: the future of Cuba must be of men of science,
of men of thought. CNIC was undoubtedly one of the pillars
that allowed turn that dream into reality, she said.
She recalled that since its beginning it had important
results in the development of medicines and nutritional
supplements, in research of the science of food and livestock,
in neurosciences, the protection of the environment and
emphasized the use of ozone for therapeutic purposes, the
creation of electronic equipment used in biomedicine, the
development of molecular markers for genetic improvement
and resistance of plants and set the bases for the first
biotechnological research in Cuba.
She mentioned the advances made to obtain nutritional
supplements with anti-spore and gastro-protecting effects
and the experience achieved in the development of medical
equipment of high technology such as the Suma system
for massive surveillance of congenital malformations;
the first Cuban automated electroencephalograph and
Return to context
39
In CNIC was
conceived Cuban
biotechnology, today
among those existing
in industrialized
nations
electromyography; an artificial heart; equipment to generate
ozone for medical, industrial and domestic use; the Diramac
system for rapid microbiological diagnosis of infectious
agents and the identification of the specific antibiotic required,
winner in 2007 of the gold medal awarded by the World
Organization of Intellectual Property (WIPO).
The first vice president of the Councils of State and
Ministers, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez referred, in his closing
speech in the conference, that have actively participated in
the foundation of Cuban revolutionary science; being pioneer
and protagonist of the work and see the fruit of the strategy
set forth by Fidel that are reasons for CNIC to be proud and
strengthen a commitment with the future. Imposed in the
anniversary, he said, is to analyze the repercussion of science in
Cuba and project the future of the center and the organization
it belongs to: the Business Group of Biotechnological and
Pharmaceutical Industries (BioCubaFarma).
He called to increase management of business through
the diversification of products and markets, sustain a growth
of exports and guarantee the supply of medicines for the
national health system. He also noted the importance
of offering special attention to the investment process,
indispensible to achieve higher goals, to boost research and
develop activities and raise competitiveness for the products
to meet standards of international quality on the basis of
complying with good practices.
The also member of the Politburo of the Party recalled
that in CNIC battles were fought to eliminate African Swine
Fever and participated in the experiment for the first visit
of a Cuban to the cosmos. He advocated BioCubaFarma to
concentrate its efforts and potential strengthening human
resources, diversifying products and markets and raise
competitiveness of its lines.
Recognized as the father of sciences in Cuba CNIC has a
mission to solve, with quality, biomedical and technological
problems of economic and social importance and create
advanced scientific products capable of competing in the
markets of the world. For this purpose it works in a complete
cycle: research-production-commercialization of its principal
products.
Located in the capital municipality of Playa it was the
first Cuban institution conceived and built with the required
conditions to promote the formation of specialists and
high level research. The study program included a strong
preparation of basic sciences, in experimentation and post
graduate education.
At the beginning it was mostly staffed by recently graduated
doctors and, to a lesser extent, graduates of other specialties.
Many of those prepared there have become recognized
figures of Cuban science and quite a few founded important
research center such as The National Center of Agriculture and
Livestock Health, Immunoassay, the Engineering Genetic and
Biotechnology Center and the Center of Neurosciences of Cuba.
CNIC also set the bases to organize the system of scientific
degrees that rule in Cuba and was a pioneer in the use of
electronic scanning microscopy and mass spectrometry and
high resolution resonance that allowed breaking into new
lines of work.
Also among its important contributions are the automated
equipment Neurocid-M and Medicid-03 and the coralline
hydroxipatite HAP 200, a biomaterial used in reconstructive
bone implants or substitution of damaged bone as well as for
eye prosthesis.
Among its priorities today are the search and development
of medicines of natural origin such as the nutritional
supplements Abexol and Prevenox and continued advance in
clinical trials of Palmex for the treatment of benign prostate
hyperplasia.
In the environment there are notable works on the
protection against corrosion of state buildings and housing as
Return to context
40
It was the first institution created to
foster the training of specialists and
carry out high level research
/ ROBERTO SUÁREZ
Undoubted
protagonism
in the training
of scientific
personnel and
obtain results
of impact
/ YÁNDER
ZAMORA
The congress was
attended by 600
experts from more
than 30 countries
/ CESAR RODRÍGUEZ
well as the project Study of the aggressive coastal environment
in Havana and its impact on structures of reinforced concrete,
with experts of the Faculty of Civil Engineering of the José
Antonio Echevarría Higher Polytechnic Institute and the
collaboration of other institutions. The first result is the Map
of Corrosive Aggression of the Atmosphere, specific for this
material that has allowed designing Cuban norms related to
its quality, research that deserved one of the national prizes
of the Academy of Sciences in 2014.
Undoubtedly CNIC arrived at its 50th year as a paradigm
of the clear will of Cuba to transform science into a dynamic
productive force that substitutes imports, generates
exportable products and contributes to the welfare of Cubans
and obtains technological sovereignty.
Sources: AIN and Granma. Photos: INTERNET
Return to context
41
Los
Portales:
Two
decades all
around the
archipelago
Organization, control,
security and protection
D
uring the early years of the 19th century was found the
first evidence regarding the medicinal waters of Ciego
Montero in Palmira in the central province of Cienfuegos. In
1836 the waters were analyzed by the owner of the farm site
of the springs, engineer Diego Elbicio and found that one
was thermal-sulfurous with healing properties and the other
of digestive waters.
After twists and turns of time, today Cuba explodes
commercially two of its most plentiful sources of mineral
water: from Ciego Montero and Los Portales in Guane, Pinar
del Rio in the eastern region of the island. In these sources
are installations with a high technological development
guaranteeing products with top quality and excellent
presentation.
Both springs are exploited by a joint venture between
Corporación Alimentaria de Cuba (Coralsa) and the Nestle
Waters Group that guarantees leading edge technology. We
are mentioning Los Portales, association in which financial
and social interests are linked. Last June it completed 20
years of operation.
First we must note that the company reaches this
anniversary as a pillar of the economy, the environment and
as a leading producer and trader in the Island of natural
mineral waters, carbonated and beverages with a large
variety of flavors covering 80 % of the national demand.
Precisely this association is able to satisfy the growing
needs of the national market and substitutes millionaire
purchases made by Cuba abroad. Its purpose is to b brings
Advanced technology and
high productive capacity /
Return to context
42
products to every corner of the country and that they receive
good reception.
Very near to the springs of Ciego Montero and Los Portales
–of light water and few minerals– are the factories with up to
date technology and high productive capacity.
The Ciego Montero mineral water is sold in PET bottles
of 500 and 1 500 ml and 5 l (natural) and 330 and 1500
ml (carbonated). It is noted for its low mineralization and
supported by clinical and pharmacological studies that
demonstrate its positive action on human health. Its excellent
quality from the physical and chemical and bacteriological
point of view is certified by specialized national and
international laboratories.
The Ciego Montero beverages are sold in six flavors: cola
(Tukola), orange, lemon-lime, pineapple, mate and diet
Tukola, in PET bottles of 330 and 1 500 ml and cans of 335 ml.
Also produced are canned soft drinks in the PET modality
of 1 500 ml with trademarks of Cimex Corporation (Cachito,
Najita, Tropicola and Ironbeer) and mineral water Naturaleza
as well processing Ciego Montero tonic water, ideal for
cocktails.
There is organization, control and security and protection
in the manufacturing installations that promote a high
productivity.
Both have implemented the Integrated System of
Management certified by the National Office of Norms and
the Bureau Veritas, with the norms NC ISO 9001 (Quality
Management System), NC ISO 14001 (Environmental
Management System), NC ISO 18001 Management System
for Safety and Health at Work and NC ISO 22000 (System
of Innocuous Management of Food) and their products are
certified with the Cuban Label of Conformity.
The director of the factory in Guane, engineer Mario
Venero Bencomo, informed that their immediate projects are
aimed at sustainability, to maintain daily production and for
2017 they will start to produce flavored water.
These projects are well sustained since, according to
Doval Martínez González, Quality coordinator of the Los
Portales company and geologist who attends the exploitation,
protection and conservation of the sites “that have
extraordinary reserves of water; today we are not exploiting
the springs nor at 10 % of their capacity”.
The company has representatives in the provinces of
Havana, Matanzas, Villa Clara, Camagüey, Holguín and
Santiago de Cuba that distribute the products directly to their
retail clients using equally the wholesale chains that exist for
this purpose.
In this manner they guarantee that the products are
delivered to the store networks and hotels and other chains
in the country.
The company and its installations have received
acknowledgement repeatedly and their products are awarded
prizes for quality and design in main fairs and expos.
Sources: Opciones, Negocios en Cuba, Bohemia and www.
losportales.cu. Photos: INTERNET
Twice a year the Pasteur Institute of France
certifies the quality of the waters
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43
Brascuba
arrives
at two
decades of
existence
O
n April 21 Brascuba Cigarrillos –Cuban- Brazilian jointventure, one of the first set up with mixed capital
in the island– now celebrates 20 years of existence with
considerable stability and growth in production, efficiency and
utilities, which has enabled the contribution of 200 million
dollars to the Cuban economy in its two decades of work.
In 2014 it produced 3 400 million cigarettes surpassing the
plan and achieved a productive record; this years it expects a
higher amount through the incorporation of new offers.
Just to ensure the demand for 2015 investments are made
in the amount of 10 million dollars and its more than 500
employees work in three shifts of eight hours, surpassing the
productive, efficiency and discipline indicators.
At a press conferences held on the occasion of the
anniversary, the co presidents of Brascuba, the Cuban
Increased production and diversity of offers and, consequently,
increased profits. In the photograph are the co presidents
/MARCELINO VÁZQUEZ
Jorge Abraham Maluf and the Brazilian Alexander Carpenter
explained that in these years the company has been
characterized by the growth in the volumes of production
and incomes, by the high quality labels of its dossier of
cigarettes –these include Popular, H. Upmann, Monterrey,
Vega, Hollywood, Lucky Strike y Cohiba– and, above all
through its high acceptance in the Island and abroad.
Maluf assures that both parts are satisfied with the
business that covers the demand of the cigarettes sold in
the internal market and in foreign currency and exports to
Spain, Brazil, Hong Kong, Iraq, Mexico, Panama, nations of
the Middle East and other countries that represent 10 % of
its production.
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44
More than 50 employees work in three eight hour
Therefore they intend to grow in the near future. If its harvesters, its knowledge of black cigarettes, a qualified
approved a feasibility study they will build, for 2018, a modern staff and trademarks and the Brazilian Souza Cruz, member
manufacturing installation in the Special Development Zone of British American Tobacco, leader in the Brazilian market of
Mariel with advance technology and more productive capacity cigarettes, which offers to the fusion its experience of over 100
that will make it possible to expand production, increasing years as a producer of cigarettes, capital, technical support,
exports fivefold and satisfy the growing demand of the advanced technology, Virginia tobacco and trademarks.
markets.
In this association Cuba used one of its factories: the René
A modern form of presentation linked to the demands Arcay of Luyanó (1883) considered an emblem in the sector.
made by smokers in periodic studies of the market and When the company was created capital remodeling of the
the constant search for new products such as the Cohiba building was undertaken, respecting the architectural style and
cigarettes, favored placement in a good position of the label. important steps were taken: selection, preparation and training
Carpenter assures that the strategy will contribute to of personnel; market research; determination of trademarks,
satisfy the expectations of the Cuban consumer as well as areas of sales, systems and procedures that should be used
tourists and foreign visitors. He also refers that the quality and everything related to the future of the company.
and prestige of Cuban tobacco in the world makes possible
At the beginning of 1996 arrived the machines and Brazilian
the creation and acceptance of varieties of lighter blend technicians began setting them up, while the Cubans were
cigars, according to the current international tendencies.
trained in the new technologies. Later the Brazilian monitor
Brascuba Cigarrillos has today about 7 000 points of sale -operators came– to train their Cuban counterparts indicating
throughout the Island, but the demand surpasses the offer. that all the workers of Brascuba Cigarillos have received an
However, in this 2015, it surpassed by 7 % the plan of income integral training that allows them to work in any machine
of the first quarter in the domestic market and 16 % in incorporated in the productive process.
exports as compared to the same period last year, according
The factory began functioning in June 15 of 1996 and
also to information given to the media by the co-presidents.
initiated its trade operations on the 20th of that month
As part of the celebrations for the past 20 years the when the society announced its first creation: black Popular
company intends to surpass its exports program in 2015 cigarette was placed in the Cuban market with a quality filter
representing four million dollars. Déborah Rivas, general and polypropylene film to protect the packet. With the trade
director of Foreign Investment of this Ministry has assured slogan “I am Cuban, I am Popular” it reached immediate
that the company fulfills its productive growth according to acceptance and placement among local consumers.
the objectives of the Cuban policy of foreign investment with
Every year important technological updates are performed;
joint capital companies.
national and international trademarks introduced and have
Among the activities developed to celebrate its anniversary made up a solid dossier that satisfies the different segment
are the cancelation of an allegorical postage stamp, a of consumers.
photography exhibition, meetings with foreign partners
Its products have received gold medals for quality awarded
and a limited emission of the famous trademark of Popular by Cuban authorities and has received the certification of
cigarettes.
ISO 9001 norms awarded in 2007. All thanks to the clear
The Cuban-Brazilian company was founded in April 21 fulfillment of its mission and vision governed by transparency
of 1995 through the integration of the Tobacco Enterprises and mutual respect for the clients.
Union –Uneta, now named Tabacuba– belonging to the
Ministry of Agriculture, which brings its century’s old tradition
Sources: AIN, PL, Trabajadores, Granma, Opciones and www.
as producer of the best tobacco in the world, the secret of brascuba.cu. Photos: INTERNET
Markets in
the world
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45
Meliá celebrates 25 years in
Cuba opening the largest of its
hotels in the world
T
hey are given to the good news, so last December, on
the threshold of the year that marks a quarter of a
century in Cuba, hotel transnational Meliá Hotels International,
the main hotel chain in Spain, announced it will have in Cuba
its largest hotel. “In September we will open completely”,
said in Madrid Gabriel Escarrer, Vice President and CEO of the
famous company founded in 1956 on the island of Mallorca
by Gabriel Escarrer Julia.
This is the Meliá Jardines del Rey, with 1 176 rooms, a fivestar all-inclusive resort, located in Cayo Coco, north of central
Cuba. The hotel began operations on December 24 when it
opened its right section, which has 624 rooms overlooking
the pool, sea and gardens.
Its gastronomic offer has two restaurants with buffet
service, a snack bar, five restaurants to the carte specialized
in Mediterranean, oriental, Cuban, International and seafood
cuisine, beach shack, ice cream shop and four bars. There
was held in May FitCuba International Tourism Fair 2015, and
when it reaches its best will provide panoramas and services
of infarct.
During these 25 years Meliá was forming an establishment
and today manages in Cuba 28 hotels with approximately
13 000 rooms. The facilities are divided as follows: 10 in
Varadero, four in Cayo Coco, four in Cayo Santa Maria, two
in Cayo Guillermo, two in Cayo Largo, two in Holguin, one in
Santiago de Cuba and three in Havana.
Never have thought from closing doors and goes, unlike
things and so today the Cuban market is the third largest for
the group after Spain (163 hotels) and Germany (33). “Our
commitment for Cuba remains unconditional, as we have
demonstrated for 25 years”, said Escarrer.
Of the 378 hotels that account Meliá in 41 countries, over
60% operate in the leisure segment and the rest in the urban
business.
In Spain, four in 10 hotels are in the group and in these
months complete the renovation of its hotel complexes in
Calviá (Mallorca), which will mean increased four-star to
two of its hotels. This year, while continuing the process of
modernizing and improving its facilities on the peninsula, he
has put the emphasis on new openings, practically all abroad.
The process began in January with the inauguration in
Qatar of a 39-storey hotel. New facilities will follow in Europe,
Jamaica, United States and Brazil. “The pipeline for the next
two and a half years is 70 hotels with 18 000 rooms,” said
Escarrer.
In Cuba it is in the hotel sector where Spain’s presence
is more visible and the award-take precisely the Meliá chain,
now operates one out five rooms of the Island and hopes to
continue growing in a market where trust is mutual.
Well it is said that to the company must recognize the
long light that illuminated their activity in the greater Antilla
25 years ago. It certainly was a brave and risky decision,
because beyond the logical uncertainty of a business in its
infancy, passed the crisis of the nineties, when there few
predicted the end of history and the apocalypse for the island.
At the beginning it was not all plain sailing. The many
difficulties could discourage them. But instead, Meliá was
opening niches and gaps. Its current position in the Cuban
tourism market was won therefore to blow obstinacy, audacity
and confidence.
Currently in Cuba destination are working 17 international
channels (13 of them from Spain), which is responsible for
Efficiency, comfort,
professionalism
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46
The wonder of Meliá
Las Américas in Varadero
overall management of 62 properties (31 000 rooms) in
modern and colonial cities, beaches and cays. At the head
is Meliá, a quarter century after its arrival does not hide his
vocation by Cuba and determination to continue to grow.
The first of their hotels here was the Sol Palmeras in
Varadero opened in 1990. He was the first in the country
managed by Sol Meliá Cuba resulting from the initial joint
venture incorporated in the archipelago, and the first
accommodation under a management and marketing contract
by a foreign chain.
Meliá brand comes exactly a year later, with the opening
of Meliá Varadero, first five-star of the company in the insula.
In 1995 it opens doors in Havana Meliá Cohiba, nothing less
than the first intelligent building of the company in the world.
This establishment just turned two decades, began the road
to the luxury segment and business.
Then came the strengthening of ties with Cuban proprietary
establishments chains: Gran Caribe, Cubanacán and Gaviota.
In 2012 came the new brand name of the company: Meliá
Hotels International Cuba. Twelve months later is the opening
of Marina Meliá Varadero Hotel & Apartments, unique of its
kind in the homonymous pole to have 126 condominium
apartments and five-star accommodation surrounded by a
tourist village and a marina.
Thus we come to the twenty-seventh and the last surprise
that gave us the group: the opening of the Jardines del Rey
cited above, and that’s not all for this 2015
Two other important purposes will undertake the Cuba
Division: International Meliá International, with 900 rooms (in
the area where today is the International Hotel of Varadero) and
Paradisus Cayo Santa Maria, the fourth operated here under the
brand Paradisus Resorts.
No wonder, after the announcement of 17 December 2014
on the start of talks between Cuba and the United States,
rebounded in the Bourse traded shares of Meliá Hotels, which
wants to continue as pointer, and for this, apart from the
usual offers of sun and beaches, offers new promotional
packages that encourage visitors to discover other riches of
Cuba and its culture.
Speaking of news: Meliá Hotels International Cuba has
achieved that over 60% of its establishments received the
Certificate of Excellence 2014 awarded by TripAdvisor, the
world’s largest travel web. The winners are: Havana Meliá,
Paradisus Varadero, Meliá Las Américas Meliá Varadero, Sol
Palmeras, Sol Pelícano, Sol Cayo Largo, Meliá Buenavista
Meliá Cayo Santa Maria, Meliá Cayo Coco, Sol Cayo Coco,
Meliá Cayo Guillermo, Sol Cayo Guillermo, Paradisus Río de
Oro, Sol Río de Luna y Mares, and Meliá Santiago de Cuba.
La Habana Café nightclub of the Meliá Cohiba, also won
the important recognition that is based in the opinions of
discerning arbiters: the travelers themselves.
Sources: AIN, cubasi.cu and The Economist Spain. Photos:
INTERNET
Return to context
47
Cubagua 2015
There were conferences
on experiences and good
practices of the nations
W
Positive Impacts in
vital subjects for the
Island and the World
ith a master conference on the application of efficient
and sustainable solutions for the management
of residual waters, the international event Cubagua 2015
was inaugurated on June 9 in the Conventions Palace. It
was a space to exchange knowledge, for the promotion
of new technologies associated to the administration and
management of water resources worldwide and coordination
of businesses.
The forum lasted until the 13th and at the same time were
held technical-commercial meetings and an exposition fair
with the participation of 73 companies, national institutions
and 14 countries that exhibited their best products and
technologies linked to the subject of water in the planet.
Sponsored by the National Institute of Hydraulic Resources
(INRH for its acronym in Spanish) and the Cuban National
Union of Architects and Construction Engineers, Cubagua
promoted the diffusion of updated information on the subject
and sought to boost negotiations between Cuban and foreign
companies.
During the event in general, more than 500 Cuban and
foreign representatives of 24 nations exchanged opinions
on the equipment used for the treatment and purification of
water, repair of water conducts and networks as well as the
integral management of water basins, protection of swamp
lands and ecosystems and the early warning systems in case
of extreme weather events.
More than 70 companies from 14 nations
exhibited their new technologies for the
sustainable management of water
/ ABEL PADRÓN
Present were experts and
professionals from 24 nations
Return to context
48
Foreign businessmen expressed
interest in what happens in
Cuba in this subject. In the
photo the Albear Aqueduct
In the forum, the first of its kind in Cuba, important were
the speeches delivered by representatives and officials of
the United Nations (UN) and several international financial
institutions that promote the development of water resources,
signing off until 2017 after five days of exchange and
socialization of experiences and practices in different subjects.
During the closing ceremony, the Organizing Committee
delivered five prizes and three mentions in which the
Entrepreneurial Group of Engineering and Hydraulic Logistic
of Cuba was awarded for the Best Design of the Modular
Stand while the German Waters Partnership consortium won
the prize for Grouped Firms for representing nine companies
in charge of producing different equipment used in the water
operation processes.
INRH vice president, Abel Salas García, assured that
Cubagua surpassed the expectations of participation –both
national and foreign– and in quality of the exhibitions and
information, and among its main achievements was the
signing of five memorandums of understanding by entities
belonging to the Institute with different foreign companies,
with the aim to strengthen capacities in the business sector
of the Island in the maintenance and repair of pumping
equipment.
This allows, the executive said, to increase our technical
skills in order to achieve greater efficiency in actions
of rehabilitation of supply systems, incorporating new
technologies for the purification and treatment of residual
waters and facilitate the promotion of cooperation relations
with Cuban industries to create new products in this sector.
Also the INRH has been working in other projects through
international cooperation such as those done with the support
of the OPEC Fund for international development and the
Kuwait Fund for Arab Economic Development. In Havana 53
works are carried out while Holguín has 15. Trinidad, Bayamo,
Las Tunas and Palma Soriano also receive the direct impact
of these agreements.
Referring to the collaborations the expert of the Japanese
International Cooperation Agency, Shigeki Kihara, said in
his conference that Japanese representation work since
2013 in the southern basin of the Provinces of Artemisa and
Mayabeque to improve prospection and management of
underground water sources, work that should conclude by
the end of 2016.
Germany, Spain, France, Mexico, Italy, Panama, Ireland,
Israel, Kuwait, Japan, the Dominican Republic and Venezuela
were represented in the event, whose climax was a technical
visit to the Albear Aqueduct –one of the marvels of Cuban
engineering– and the Special Development Zone Mariel.
Water resources are scarce on Earth, where 2 600 million
persons do not have access to safe drinking water while
disease related to this priceless liquid are the second cause
of infant deaths worldwide. A better water culture is needed.
Sources: AIN, Granma and Juventud Rebelde. Photos: INTERNET
Return to context
49
Cuba Fashion
Seeking opportunities in a
branch with great potential
The Light Industry, Cuban
Fund of Cultural Goods and
artisans showed their articles
T
he fairgrounds of Pabexpo hosted from 8 to 11 June
the first trade fair of fashion. It seeks opportunities
to diversify the presence of textiles, footwear, cosmetics and
several clothing manufacturers in the national market.
Cuba is Fashion –where our business representatives and
others from Italy, Spain and other nations met interested in
taking advantage of opportunities here offered– was the first
step to promote our trade relations with exemplary countries
in that industry and thereby help development in this sector.
Abraham Maciques, president of the Palco Group explained
that in its organization played an important role the Italian
Association of Women Entrepreneurs, and especially its
president Franca Audissio, convinced of the potential of the
Island to boost the fashion industry. He pointed out that Italy,
one of our main trade partners and emitters of tourists, is a
world reference in this field with products of high standards;
therefore the need to strengthen ties, learn and search for new
businesses that stimulate development of this sector in Cuba.
Carmine Robustelli, Ambassador of that European nation,
in the inauguration of the forum mentioned the interest
and long range commitment of his country to be one of the
main contributors to development in this field of the national
market and his diplomatic mission is prepared to offer all the
possible support to this endeavor.
Nine enterprises of the Cuban light industry dedicated to
produce and commercialize textiles, leather goods, beauty
and hygiene products and footwear participated in the fair to
promote their business opportunities. Cuba open to foreign
capital a diverse portfolio of projects in this sector aimed at
diversifying the production lines, said Mario López, technical
director of the Entrepreneurial Group of the Light Industry.
There seminars, workshops, specialized conferences,
fashion shows and presentation of products and services
to promote new trade agreements and identify potential
partners. Several subjects were dealt with, such as
production and commercialization of the Cuban guayabera
and the possibilities of producing cotton fibers in the country,
a project aimed at import substitution in the textile industry.
Future development in productions of the Suchel group
and the design of leather goods and footwear also reflected
the projections outline in the medium and long range periods
to revive the light industry and in this sense will be crucial
the role of the foreign investment in the injection of capital
and technologies to supply dynamism to one of the most
affected sectors of the country. Another subject debated was
the phenomenon of fashion in Cuba and its separation from
national identity.
The second edition of Cuba is Fashion will be in June of
2016 and is expected to be larger since there are now contacts
with big names in Italy that were unable to be present this
time due to organizational problems but expressed interest
in participating.
Sources: AIN and Opciones. Photos: INTERNET
Return to context
50
Valuable results in Felti 2015
R
epresentatives of 50 companies from 12 nations –
Argentina, Brazil, Peru, Puerto Rico, Ecuador, Uruguay,
Venezuela, Canada, Bolivia, France, Colombia and Spain–
attended the international forum of entrepreneurs and
leaders in technologies of information Felti 2015 that met in
the Center of Integrated Technological Research of the José
Antonio Echeverría Higher Polytechnic Institute in Havana
from May 18 to 23.
Jany Picó, commercial specialist of the Cuban company
of computer sciences Datys (Development of Technological
Applications and Systems) that organizes these events every
year together with other institutions of the sector in Cuba
said that its main objective is to help the integration of Latin
American countries in these technologies. The purpose is to
insert the enterprises of the Cuban information Industry in
the Latin American market, establish networks and boost
collaboration and integration in this field.
Datys presents several lines of businesses in the world
of computer sciences with products deployed in countries
such as Argentina, Bolivia and Nicaragua with very good
acceptance.
To broaden commercial exchange of informatics goods
and services and boost synergies of work, networks of
collaboration, bilateral agreements and exchanges of
information on tendencies, know-how and advances in the
sector are other objectives of the event.
The debates of Felti 2015 focused mainly on the information
technologies (IT) applied in businesses and education, the
electronic government and future of these technologies
including other subjects of interests for companies of software
in Cuba and Latin America.
The meeting also discussed potential of the Island in the
industry of IT and evaluated opportunities of business and
links between the participating organizations.
Meeting point for IT executives, investors and
entrepreneurs in our region, in this event were signed trade
agreements and letters of intent. The participants considered
the event impeccable and magnificent, committing to work to
achieve a regional union.
Felti 2015 demonstrated how to share resources, knit
networks of contacts and organize synergies of work in
subjects of high complexity and made possible a number of
meetings between foreign and Cuban companies contributing
to form alliances and establishing joint strategies to penetrate
the markets.
Through this space has been forging the desire for real
integration of the Cuban information industry and allows
setting higher goals and objectives that can be done jointly
to achieve the required jump.
Sources: PL, web site datys.cu. Photo: INTERNET
Business
management
and IT use are
intimately related
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51
Our associates
New associate members
during the 2nd quarter of 2015
Hydraulic Exploitation Enterprise of Villa Clara
National Institute of Water Resources
Address: Ave. Libertadores no. 201 e/ Jesús Menéndez y Danielito, Santa Clara, Villa Clara
Tel.: (5342) 205615. E-mails: [email protected] / [email protected]
Social purpose: Water supply services, maintenance and building of hydraulic infrastructure of Villa Clara territory, control
and monitoring of the parameters of water quality and hydrological cycle, economic activities in the public sector that could
be linked to foreign trade in relations of collaboration and exchanges in strategic alliances of professional multi-disciplinary
engineering services, in the management of resources and maintenance of engineering works in the hydraulic field.
Metal and Electric Constructions Enterprise
Ministry of Food Industry
Address: Hacendados no. 16 (altos) e/ Ave. La Pesquera y Línea del Ferrocarril, La Habana Vieja, La Habana
Tel.: (53) 78621670 / 78630849. E-mail: [email protected] /
[email protected] / [email protected]
Social purpose: Production, assembly, installation, repairs, maintenance, commercialization of furniture and non-oxidizing
steel structures and carbon steel, technological equipment, electrical boards and photovoltaic systems.
Base Entrepreneurial Unit Nuevitas
Ministry of Transport
Address: María Luisa no. 18, Reparto Tarafa, Nuevitas, Camagüey
Tel.: (5332) 414117 / 412379 / 412523
E-mails: [email protected] / [email protected] / [email protected]
Social Purpose: Offer of facilities for loading and unloading of ships during the process of import and export of
merchandise as well as offers of services for the right to dock in their installations of means of maritime transportation,
move from dock or transference through port installations or through those required by the importers, exporters or other
private or corporate persons either national or foreign, linked to foreign trade.
Coffee Processing Enterprise Rolando Ayub (Lideca)
Ministry of Agriculture
Address: Calle 36 no. 18 e/ 25 y Carretera Central, Reparto Cabrera, Santiago de Cuba
Tel.: (5322) 589261 / 587551/ 587636. E-mails: [email protected] / [email protected]
Social Purpose: Production and commercialization of improved and processed coffee beans for clients of Cubaexport,
Comercial Café and Cimex that at the same time send it to foreign trade and internal foreign currency markets. They are
linked to foreign trade through the production of function as well as through direct ties with bean exporter’s enterprises.
Unevol Joint Venture
Ministry of Industries
Address: Calle 240 esq. a 81, La Lisa, La Habana
Tel.: (53) 72614248-56, ext. 135
Social Purpose: Production and commercialization of systems of marine propulsion, marine engines, industrial engines:
versatile and of generation, as well as sale of parts, spare parts and accessories. Services of projects and engineering
solutions, selection of products, equipment repowering, three dimensional projects and models of installation of motors,
services of warranty and post-sale as well as services of repair, maintenance and technical assistance.
Genetic Pork Enterprise
Ministry of Agriculture
Address: Ave. Independencia no. 28510 e/ 281 y 289, Reparto Consuelo, Boyeros, La Habana
Tel.: (53) 76461631 / 76461104 / 76461101
Social Purpose: Production and commercialization genetically improved pigs, pork meat and by products. Services linked
to the genetic improvement of pigs.
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52
The Chamber today
Seoul Food 2015:
Cuban participation in the
4th Session of the Cuba-Italy Cuban participation
Business Committee
rganized by the Agency
I
n answer to the invitation of Padova Promex, promotion
institution of the Chamber of Commerce of Padova
and the Italian section of that Committee, a Cuban mission
headed by Omar Fernandez Jimenez, secretary general of
our Chamber of Commerce, participated in the 4th Session
of the Cuba-Italy Business Committee, held from June 30
to July 4.
In this event the Cuban side made presentations on
the work of promoting foreign investment by the Chamber
of Commerce and its main functions, and on foreign
investment: policies, legal framework and new opportunities
by sector, while the Italian side made in relation to the
Support of Simest to the overseas development of the
Italian enterprise, Sace and the new Cuba and Opportunity
of establishing cuban-italian joint ventures. Also a Plan
of Activities was signed for the period of 2015-2016 that
includes systematic exchanges on investment and trade
opportunities, monitoring of investment projects (new and
in process) and the participation in fairs and expos in Cuban
and Italy.
The Cuban delegation visited the headquarters of the
General Confederation of Italian Industry (Confindustria) in
the regions of Venezia Giulia and Emilia (CNA) and Expo
Milan 2015, whose conference hall were presented the new
investment opportunities in the island.
Agreement of trade
cooperation signed with
Trinidad and Tobago
T
he Chambers of Commerce of Cuba and Trinidad and
Tobago signed on June 11 in Havana a cooperation
agreement that will allow the exchange of information on
opportunities for investment and the main products in their
markets.
These were signed by the Executive Director of the
Trinitarian institution, Ms. Catherine Kumar and our director
of international Relations Celia Labora, during the meeting
between delegations of both countries that explores
their respective trade profiles aiming to establish future
negotiations.
Through this agreement entrepreneurs sister nation
provide information related to the new open here for foreign
investment stage. The document also envisages providing
information on services and products that the island exported,
the participation of companies in national and international
trade fairs and exchange of business delegations.
They attended by representatives of 17 firms Trinidadian
the food, transport, packaging, financial services,
construction, manufacturing, tourism, telecommunications
and real estate cites, among others. Cuba attended by
members of companies in charge of tourism, construction
and services.
Source: PL
O
for the Promotion of
Trade and Foreign Investment of
South Korea (Kotra), the Korean
Food Industry Association (KFIA,
the International Exemption
Exhibition (KEM) AND All World
Exhibitions, the 33rd edition of
the International Food Industry,
Seoul 2015, took place in the Kintex fair grounds.
For the third consecutive year Kotra sent an invitation for
a Cuban business delegation to participate in this important
international fair and the coordination corresponded to the
Cuban Chamber of Commerce.
The participating companies for the event from May 12 to
15 were Caribex, Cubaron and Cubaexport.
The results of the Cuban participation were satisfactory,
especially by the interest shown by the Korean business
persons and the public attending the fair for Cuban products
and to develop trade ties with our country that was ratified by
the executives of Kotra with whom was exchanged.
Cuba and Belgium explore
opportunities
H
avana hosts on August 27 a Cuba-Belgium business
forum, where interests were examined to promote and
diversify trade and new business opportunities and investment
n Cuba in the areas of construction, telecommunications,
pharmaceuticals and in the Special Development Zone Mariel.
Participants were Cuban officials and businessmen to explore
the possibilities offered by visitors and agents of 12 Belgian
private companies, in what was the first mission of its kind to
visit us looking for foster strategic alliances with Cuban entities.
Guy Bultynck, president of the Chamber of Commerce
of Belgium and Luxembourg (CBL-ACP), explained that the
objective of the representatives of the sectors of construction
and infrastructure, telecommunications, pharmaceutical and
banking in that country was to strengthen economic ties
between companies and promote exchange. His associates
also have an interest in investment opportunities offered by the
new Law no.118.
Omar Fernandez, general secretary of our institution, urged
the parties to identify the large existing potential in both
markets that to date have not been exploited.
He explained the functioning of the Cuban economy and the
current economic renovation process, and gave details of the
projects and opportunities for foreign investment in the island.
About the bilateral exchange he said that Belgium occupies the
6th place among the major trading partners in Europe, and
the fifteenth globally. The island exports to Brussels petroleum,
coffee, honey and other products, and imports milk powder,
lubricants and chemicals.
The forum ended with bilateral meetings between
businessmen.
Sources: ACN and Options
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53
The Chamber today
Cuba-Lebanese Business Forum Aruba and Cuba propose
Cuba-Lebanon
complementing their economies
A
Business
Forum
was held on June 4
coinciding with the visit of
a delegation headed by Mr.
Ali Kazma, president of the
Cuban-Lebanese
Council
of Business persons which
included more than 20
business persons of that
country interested in trade
and investments in the
Island.
The
Chamber
of
Commerce of the Republic
of Cuba and the Chamber
of Commerce, Industry and
Agriculture of Beirut and
Mount Lebanon signed on
the occasion a cooperation
agreement, expression of the trade interests generated by
the Island and business opportunities offered, not only in
the nearest regions or in Europe but also in the Middle East.
The agreement will allow exchanging economic
information and reciprocate business contacts and was
signed by Orlando Hernández Guillén, president of our
Chamber and Ali Kazma on behalf of the Lebanese institution.
Also bilateral meetings were held with the presentation
of opportunities for foreign investments and the Special
Development Zone Mariel, and information was given
regarding the First Cuban-Lebanese Business Forum to be
held September 29 in Beirut.
A
ccompanied by executives
of the Chamber of
Commerce and Industry of that Caribbean island,
business persons of 22 companies of Aruba, belonging to the
group of the Netherlands Antilles (with Curaçao and Bonaire)
met with their Cuban counterparts from June 8 to 9.
Odalys Seijo, acting president of the Chamber of Commerce
of the Republic of Cuba welcomed the guests. “Caribbean
states seek to complement their economies and in the case
of Aruba with which Cuba has no trade exchange, with more
reason”. She also said that both parts have the will to boost
exchange and identify business and investment opportunities
that most contribute to the development of their economies.
Ms. Daphne Agius, president of the Board of the Aruba
Chamber of Commerce thanked the attentions received.
Although our islands are very different, Aruba has about
100 000 inhabitants and Cuba 11 million and with scarce
possibilities of developing agriculture which is not the case of
Cuba, we do have areas in common which is tourism –Agius
explained– and added that 80 % of the population of the
country lives from tourism, that represents 70 % of the GDP
of the island.
Most participating companies in the forum are related to
tourism, from suppliers of hotel inputs and clothing to real
estate.
At the end of the meeting Odalys Seigjo and Daphne Agius
signed an agreement of cooperation between both Chambers
of Commerce.
Search to strengthen
trade relations with Poland
anagers and business persons of an entrepreneurial mission
M
of the Polish Chamber of Trade and Industry composed of
representatives of nine companies of this country participated in a
business forum with their
Cuban counterparts to promote
more exchange of information
and an approach between the
two markets.
Omar Fernández, secretary
general of our Chamber of
Commerce recalled that the first
agreement between the two
chambers was signed in 2001
and ratified in 2009. “Since then
it has been a regulatory framework
for contacts held in this time. However, we can state that although
there are still many actions to undertake for the development of trade
between our two nations. Actions such as these business meetings
are fundamental to promote and increase trade. Consequently our
Chamber has stated its willingness to support in the organization and
reception of trade missions to our market”, he said.
Ms. María Nowakowska, director of International Relations of
the Polish Chamber of Trade and Industry explained some of the
characteristics of her country that could be attractive for business, such
as its geographic location in the center of Europe and an environment
of economic stability.
Source: Opciones. Photo: INTERNET
Cooperation agreement
with The Bahamas
Chamber of Commerce
O
n July 17 an Agreement of Cooperation
was signed between the Chamber of
Commerce of the Republic of Cuba and the
Chamber of Commerce and the Employers’
Confederation of the Commonwealth of The
Bahamas as part of the Cuba-Caribbean
Business Forum held those days in the city of
Santiago de Cuba.
After signing the document the presidents
of both institutions expressed the interest
of their governments and business persons
they represent to continue developing and
strengthening economic and trade relations
between both countries.
As part of his participation in the forum,
the President of The Bahamas Chamber of
Commerce, Mr. Gowon Bowe, carried out a
broad program that included the presentation
of opportunities for business and investment
in the Bahamas. He also met with his Cuban
counterpart, Orlando Hernández Guillén, with
whom he also exchanged opportunities of
investment in both countries.
Source: Cubaminrex
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54
The Chamber today
Results of the Macro round in EXPO ALADI
Participation of representatives from 13
member nations of Aladi
I
t is one of the main trade meetings in the continent, aimed at increasing, strengthening and setting trade
agreements among the 13 member countries of the Association of Latin American Integration (Aladi for its
acronym in Spanish) and promotes opportunities for companies, particularly MSMEs (micro,small and medium
enterprises) for increasing their participationin the regional market.
For this purpose EXPO ALADI Argentina 2015 –a Macro Round for Food Businesses– met from June 4 and 5
in Buenos Aires gathering more than 500 companies of the sector in the region. As part of the RAÍZ Festival, the
most important gastronomic and cultural meeting in the country unfolded two complementary activities: several
actions of promotion and the Macro Round of Businesses.
The Cubans promoted
subjects of economic, trade
and tourism in the Island
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55
The Chamber today
EXPO ALADI 2015 was structured in three spaces: exhibition space with 13 stands of the Governmental agencies
of promotion and a stand of Aladi; the above mentioned round of businesses and an area for exhibiting samples of
the participating companies.
In 2016 the event will be held in Torreón, the Mexican city of the state of Coahuila from October 19 to 21. The
sectors dealt with shall be: processed food and beverages, auto parts, pharmaceuticals and manufacture of steel,
electricity, leather (shoes and goods) and plastic articles.
For more information see web sites www.expoaladi.org y www.aladitorreon.org.
Sources: own and AIN. Photos: INTERNET
Participating in the
Macro Roundwere 800
representatives of export
and import companies
An opportunity to settle trade
agreements and establish
strategic alliances
Return to context
56
Cuba FOREIGN
TRADE No. 3/2015
Regresar al Índice
57

Francois Hollande in Havana: Cuba and France expands businesses

Transcription

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