Riyadh, Kingdom of Saudi Arabia. A meeting with the President of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of this Arab nation and representatives of the Cuba-Saudi Arabia Business Council was the first activity here for Political Bureau member and Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz, since, as he said, one of the fundamental objectives of his visit "is to consolidate the ties of friendship and exchange between both countries, with an emphasis on trade and industry."
Welcoming the head of government yesterday at the institution's headquarters, its president, Hassan bin Mujib Al Huwaizi, said it was "an honor and a pleasure to receive him" and that he attached "great value to the visit, given the commitment they are making to investments in our country."
Marrero Cruz, who arrived in this nation to participate in the 9th Future Investment Initiative Forum, which begins today with more than 5,000 attendees from 90 countries, stressed that "just as there is a strong relationship between both countries, there is a strong exchange between both Chambers of Commerce."
At another point, he emphasized that the blockade and sanctions against the island hinder development and make free trade, imports, and progress in key sectors impossible.
However, he added that we have been opening up to foreign investment as a fundamental component of our economic development strategy; numerous measures have been approved to stimulate and facilitate it, he noted.
He referred to sectors such as tourism and health, in which progress has been made with specialists in different regions of the Arab country; biotechnology, a sector in which we are very strong with important factories; food production; and energy.
"In these important sectors, we can reach agreements with the Saudi side, as there are opportunities that are advantageous for both," said the head of government, who invited the representatives of the Chamber to participate in the Havana International Fair, one of the most important trade fairs in Latin America and the Caribbean, to be held from November 24th to 29th.
"With the support of the Federation of Chambers and with you, the business community, we would like to invite you to invest in Cuba, as well as to express our gratitude for the cooperation we already enjoy in various areas with financing from the Saudi Fund for Development, in projects related to water resources and agriculture. We believe that the island meets the conditions for Saudi investors to develop important projects for the entire region and the world."
The President of the Federation of Chambers of Commerce and Industry of this Arab nation said that, as an organization, they have received instructions from King Salman bin Abdulaziz, who "has entrusted us all with promoting international trade and investment relations with countries that are friendly to us, and finding areas of cooperation for our ties."
He also highlighted his country's vision, which seeks economic diversification, complementarity, and human resources training. "We have concluded that there are many areas in Cuba where we can establish collaboration, promote the exchange of experiences, and expand trade, including public health, biotechnology, and education."
