HAVANA, Jan 12 (NNN-AGENCIES) — Cuba’s Ministry of Economy and Planning (MEP) has licensed the operation of 133 micro, small and medium-sized enterprises, bringing the total number of enterprises of this type approved since September 2021 to 9,943 units.
Among these new economic units, there are 128 private enterprises and 5 state-owned units.
The newly licensed businesses mainly operate in the fields of food service, construction materials production, food and clothing trade, passenger transportation, motor vehicle repair and programming activities. computer.
According to MEP, 19.6% of micro, small and medium-sized enterprises in Cuba operate in manufacturing, 12% produce food and beverages, providing jobs for 225,000 Cubans, including 189,000 jobs. new. Official data also shows that the above sectors employ more than 15% of the country’s workers and contribute nearly 14% of GDP.
Micro, small and medium-sized enterprises are a new economic sector allowed by the Cuban State to be deployed in order to put into practice the 2019 Constitution, including the form of private ownership and this is the group of private enterprises in the 2019 Constitution. The only country allowed to operate in Cuba.
Cuba first licensed businesses of this type in September 2021 in the context of accelerating reforms to modernize and expand economic sectors.
The Cuban government has decided to open most of the economy to the private sector, with the exception of strategic state sectors such as healthcare, telecommunications, energy, defense or the press.
Developing the small and medium-sized enterprise sector is part of the strategy to improve economic sectors and diversify forms of business management in Cuba, with the goal of releasing production potential to promote economic development. socio-economic situation in the “island of freedom”. — NNN-AGENCIES
