Business mission of Confederation of industry left for Cuba

A mission of 19 representatives of Czech companies will accompany Industry and Trade Minister Jiri Havlicek. During the mission, they will visit international fair FIHAV in Havana and take part in official talks with Cuban state administration officials.

The representatives in the mission are from the sectors of engineering, energy production, food production and aviation, for example. Companies from the petrochemical industry and producers of heavy machinery will also be looking for partners in Cuba, for example producers of machines used in construction, warehouse technology and excavators.

FIHAV is one of the most important fairs in Central and South America. More than 4,500 exhibitors from 60 countries took part in the event last year. The Confederation of Industry together with the Cuba Chamber of Commerce have prepared round-table meetings and seminars where Czech firms will discuss cooperation possibilities with their Cuban counterparts.

"Cuba is cautiously and quite hesitantly opening up to wider foreign cooperation. Our companies want to take part in this, they are interested in this destination," said the confederation's president Jaroslav Hanak. This is the second business mission to Cuba organised by the confederation this year.

"It is clear that the relations between the Czech Republic and Cuba cannot be built solely on trade but in economic cooperation, the mutual contacts that already exist and the good reputation of Czech companies in Cuba are important for us," Havlicek said, adding that they can serve as a foundation for further development of Czech-Cuban business relations.

Czech exports to Cuba were worth Kc254m in January-August this year, a quarter lower year on year. Imports reached Kc123m. Czech exports to Cuba are dominated by food products, turbines, pumps and other industrial machines and their parts. Czech firms export to Cuba also motorcycles, motor-driven bicycles and tyres. Cuban exports to the Czech Republic are composed of liqueurs, cigars, cane sugar, bananas and fish, and also of motorcycle components and measuring and control instruments.

Source: ČTK