Italy and Cuba to Boost Trade and Economic Relations

Havana, Nov 18 (ACN) The 8th Session of the Cuba-Italy Entrepreneurial Committee held Friday at Havana’s International Trade Fair affirmed the two nations’ bilateral interest and commitment to deepen trade and economic relations and to overcome the risks and adversities marking today’s world scenario.

The president of the Cuban Chamber of Commerce Antonio Luis Carricarte recalled that Italy is the island’s ninth major trade partner and its seventh most important tourist source, while maintaining significant cooperation with Cuba. All this is the fruit yielded by the systematic work of the bilateral commission set up in 2011, the official said.

Carricarte noted that 45 Italian subsidiaries and 17 joint ventures are operating here, while over 70 companies from the European country participated at the Havana fair, despite the complex economic conditions facing the island.

Roberto Vellano, Italian ambassador to Havana, described the session as an important milestone in considering the difficulties facing Italian entrepreneurs in Cuba, so that they may increase their contribution, though the presence at the fair of a significant number of companies proves their commitment to the Cuban market.

Several Italian businesspeople described the session as a good occasion to strengthen bilateral exchange and called on their countrymen settled in Havana to encourage the investment by new Italian companies because, they said, Cuba is a priority.