Havana, Cuba.- Russia’s participation in the modernization of the railway in Cuba will multiply the efficiency of the sector, it was reported here during a business forum with Latin America.

It is an outstanding project of bilateral relations, which will improve the logistics infrastructure in Cuba, generate thousands of jobs and promote the quality of life of the population, said Deputy Prime Minister of the Russian Federation, Yury Borisov.

The theme was addressed in a business meeting with Latin America in the context of Havana International Fair (FIHAV 2018), which today gathers some three thousand exhibitors from more than 60 countries, and the inauguration of which was attended by Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel.

According to the first deputy director general of JSC Russian Railways, Alexander Misharin, Cuba could also find in the development of the branch important opportunities to promote tourism, given the particular natural beauty of this Caribbean territory and the hospitality of its population.

High-speed trains, he suggested, could serve in the future to link tourist poles such as Havana and Varadero, appreciated by foreign visitors, who surpass the annual figure of four million.

According to Misharin, there are real possibilities for the railroad on the island to increase its speed three times, double the volume of cargo and triple the movement of passengers, from millionaire investments with Russian participation.

The businessman also highlighted the links in training: more than 100 Cuban workers will go to study in Russia, while about 500 specialists will receive practical training in the rail sector of that country, he said.

In the face of sustainable development, he said, the branch can reduce costs and replace the use of motor vehicles, which tend to congest traffic in cities and increase environmental pollution.

Among the planned contributions, he also mentioned the digitalization of the railway system, in order to guarantee quality, safety, and cheaper operations.

At the end of May 2018, representatives of the two countries updated the plans for integral cooperation in the field, as part of the work of the Cuban delegation at the 22nd International Economic Forum in St. Petersburg.

Borisov confirmed now in Havana that the most important areas of bilateral collaboration are rail transport, machine building, metallurgical, light, aeronautical and chemical industries, as well as medicine, the pharmaceutical industry, and agriculture.