Cuba boosts project to improve airport infrastructure

HAVANA, Cuba, Sep 29 (ACN) Cuba is developing an ambitious airport infrastructure project aimed at strengthening operational safety, aviation safety and facilitation in airport services, air navigation and cargo, and in which risks are minimized and national and international regulations are complied with.

The Inter-Institutional Council that, under the leadership of the Ministry of Economy and Planning (MEP), periodically evaluates the progress of the National Economic and Social Development Plan until 2030, assessed on Thursday not only what has been done as part of the Macro Infrastructure Program in that branch, but also possible sources of financing in order to meet the objectives and sustainability.

In the presence of Eduardo Rodriguez Davila, head of Transport, and Roberto Rangel Ortega, deputy minister of MEP; Armando Daniel Lopez, president of the Institute of Civil Aeronautics of Cuba (IACC), noted that representatives of the International Civil Aviation Organization have praised the actions included in the project.

It is designed to promote an investment process according to strategic programs, with innovative technologies, environmental benefits, and promoting foreign investment; and to increase the levels of exports of goods and services, with high standards of quality and safety backed by innovation and information and communications technologies.

Another objective is to recover and renew Cubana de Aviacion's equipment in order to guarantee the transportation of passengers and cargo with a sustainable, efficient and safe air fleet, as well as to complete and renew a group of aircraft for agricultural services to meet customer demand.

Daniel Lopez and Joel Beltran Archer Santos, president of the Cuban Aviation Corporation (CACSA), mentioned among the results in 2023 the expansion and modernization of the Jose Marti International Airport, whose terminal Number 1 received multiple improvements in view of the recent Summit of the Group of 77 and China.

The investment process extends to the airport infrastructure of tourist poles such as Varadero, Santa Clara and Cayo Las Brujas, and to the maintenance workshops (hangar) and repair shops, among other facilities, given that the country has 22 airports, 10 of them international.

During the meeting, the main difficulties were discussed, mainly due to the impact of the US blockade against Cuba, which have prevented rapid progress in the ambitious airport infrastructure program, which requires greater financing and supplies of material resources.