HAVANA, July 15 (NNN-Xinhua) — Representatives of some 150 Cuban and 80 Mexican companies on Thursday attended the opening of the Cuba-Mexico Business Forum at the Hotel Nacional de Cuba in the capital city Havana.
“The important thing at this forum is to negotiate, negotiate, negotiate. Let’s never tire of doing that, let’s not allow the obstacles to win,” said the deputy minister of industry and trade at Mexico’s Economy Ministry, Hector Guerrero, referring to the U.S.-led trade embargo against Cuba.
Given the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic on world economies, Guerrero described trade ties between Cuba and Mexico, Latin America’s second-largest economy, as “strategic and fundamental” to the island’s recovery.
Cuba’s Deputy Prime Minister Ricardo Cabrisas said Cuba is working to overcome the economic setbacks of the past two years.
“We have a long road ahead of work, opportunities and reciprocal advantages,” said Cabrisas.
The forum’s inaugural session, which continues through Friday, was attended by Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, Cuban Prime Minister Manuel Marrero and other high-ranking officials.
Organized by the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Trade, the Center for the Promotion of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, the Cuban Chamber of Commerce and the Embassy of Mexico in Cuba, the forum focuses on areas of common interest such as renewable energy, biotechnological and pharmaceutical industries, tourism, transportation and construction. — NNN-XINHUA
