Havana, Cuba.- The holding of an investment forum, including more than 300 meetings with companies from 22 countries, stands out on Tuesday in the program of the 36th edition of the Havana International Fair, FIHAV 2018.

With the objective of favoring bilateral meetings among investors and their Cuban counterparts, the forum will be held on Tuesday and Wednesday at EXPOCUBA fairgrounds, Rodrigo Malmierca, Minister for Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment, stated.

In addition to promoting business in the Cuban market, the official said that one of the main objectives of the meeting is to expand and diversify ‘our ties abroad to increase exports of goods, services and foreign investment in the country.’

According to the minister’s statements during the opening ceremony of FIHAV 2018 on Monday, Cuba celebrates this new edition with an increase in the number of businesses in and outside the western Mariel Special Development Zone and a progress in investments of several works with foreign capital.

He also mentioned a progress in the materialization of prioritized investments in key sectors of the economy such as energy, mainly the development of renewable sources, infrastructure, tourism, industry and the agricultural food sector.

Malmierca also referred to Cuba’s ambition to make hiring processes more efficient in foreign investment and reiterated the country’s firm determination to honor its financial obligations.

The launch of the portfolio of opportunities, the presentation of the map of exporters and the exportable offer, the official call of the Caribbean Fair 2019 and the disclosure of several projects planned to run in Havana to celebrate the 500th anniversary of its foundation, will also take place in coming days.

The latest edition of FIHAV, which is strengthened as a space for regional consultation whose most recent example is the holding of the Russia-Latin America business forum held on Monday, confirms the interest that the Cuban market arouses in the commercial sphere, Malmierca said.

With the participation of representatives from more than 60 countries and more than 3,000 exhibitors accredited in an area of about 24,000 square meters, FIHAV 2018 will be held until Friday, November 2.