Over 60 int'l businesses to attend Cuban trade fair

10/25/2018 - 3:15:17 PM

More than 60 companies from around the world are set to attend the Havana International Trade Fair (FIHAV 2018) to be held from October 29 to November 2, government officials announced Tuesday, October 23.

Illustrative image

Foreign Trade and Investments Minister Rodrigo Malmierca told state daily Granma, that some 20 high-level official delegations, 30 chambers of commerce and over 2,500 foreign representatives have confirmed their participation to attend the trade fair.

According to Malmierca, 16 US companies will also be attending, a similar number to the previous edition, including the newly created US-Cuba biotechnology joint venture, Innovative Immunotherapy Alliance S.A., which is based in Cuba's Mariel Special Development Zone (ZEDM) and mainly for the production of therapeutic anti-cancer vaccines.

Malmeirca said that the fair's attendees show that "the world supports Cuba despite the US economic, trade and financial blockade," recently reinforced by US President Trump.

The Russia-Latin American and the Caribbean Business Forum will also be held during the event and will offer the updated portfolio 2018 of investment opportunities for foreign entrepreneurs, according to the official.

According to official estimates, the Caribbean nation needs to attract every year at least US$2.5 billion in investments to keep a sustained development. In the fair last year, Cuba presented a portfolio of 456 projects, amounting to US$10.7 billion.

Aside from international companies, Cuban companies are also set to have a large presence at this year's trade event.

According to president of the Cuban Chamber of Commerce Orlando Hernandez, 350 national companies have reserved 5,000 square meters in floor space for their exhibition.

The Havana International Trade Fair is considered as the most important business forum in Cuba and one of the most important in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Source: NDO

Existential danger from COVID-19 pandemic

The danger from the COVID-19 pandemic is still latent, threatening people’s health and lives in the context that the immunity provided from the COVID-19 vaccine has decreased. Many other dangerous diseases are also likely to break out when the global vaccination rate slows down, due to inequality in access to health services, vaccine hesitancy, and consequences of economic recession.

Vietnam among ASEAN countries recording EV sales surge

The Association of Southeast Asian Nations (ASEAN) is witnessing a rise in the sales of electric vehicles (EVs) in Vietnam, Malaysia and Indonesia, according to Maybank Investment Bank Research (Maybank IB Research).

International friends bid farewell to Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong

The respect paying ceremony for Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong continued on the morning of July 26 at the National Funeral Hall in Hanoi, with high-level delegations from foreign countries and international organisations paying their last respects and expressing deep condolences.

Global outpouring of grief for Vietnamese Party chief

A wave of condolences have poured in from world leaders, international organisations, rulling parties, Communist parties and partner parties following the death of Vietnamese Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong.

Party General Secretary Nguyen Phu Trong, a revered leader in Vietnam and world: Australian Senate President

President of the Australian Senate Sue Lines has expressed her deepest sympathy over the passing of General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam Central Committee Nguyen Phu Trong and affirmed that he is a revered leader both in Vietnam and across the world.

Vietnam hopes UN, ASEAN coordinate closely, effectively over Myanmar issue: Ambassador

Ambassador Dang Hoang Giang, Vietnam’s Permanent Representative to the United Nations (UN), on June 5 had a meeting with UN Secretary-General’s Special Envoy on Myanmar Julie Bishop during her working visit to New York.