Mariel special development zone. Author: Roberto Suarez
The signing of eight documents between Cuba and Algeria will expand economic, trade, financial and cooperation relations in various fields, which confirms more than 60 years of historical fraternal ties.
XXIII Cuban-Algerian Intergovernmental Commission, which was held from February 13 to 14, served as a platform for the adoption of the Bilateral Economic Agenda for 2023-2026 and other legal documents, which gave new impetus to cooperation in sectors such as agriculture, health, sports and pharmaceutical industry.
A business forum was held in a busy work schedule, which was attended by Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, Prime Minister Manuel Marrero and other high-ranking officials.
Meanwhile, the Algerian side was attended by the chairman of the intergovernmental commission and Minister of Health Abdelhak Saykhi, the country’s ambassador to Cuba, Abdelkrim Benchiah, and other representatives of the state.
More than 60 Algerian businessmen and about 130 Cuban organizations attended the meeting to explore existing areas and identify business opportunities of mutual interest.
They considered the prospects and transformations of the island economy, investment in Algeria and in particular in the management of a decentralized single window in the city of Oran, as well as foreign investment in Cuba, as well as business opportunities in the Maghreb countries and opportunities in the Mariel Special Development Zone (ZEDM), west of the island.
In addition, the presidents of the two countries’ Chambers of Commerce, Antonio Carricarte and Kamel Hamenni, respectively, signed an action plan for joint work and stressed their commitment to continue bilateral relations, promote trade and investment.
An agreement was concluded to strengthen cooperation between health systems, signed by the Minister of Health of Cuba, José Angel Portal, and his colleague Saihi, who advocated increased medical cooperation and joint research.
They also discussed topics such as the scientific exchange between the Pasteur Institute in Algiers and the Pedro Kouri Institute of Tropical Medicine, the development and production of vaccines against modern African diseases, the transfer of technology to the pharmaceutical industry, and the development of relations between regulators. . . .
Cuban Vice Prime Minister Ricardo Cabrisas stressed that the Business Forum is taking place at a time of great global unrest, caused in particular by the Covid-19 pandemic and geopolitical issues such as Ukraine.
Cabrisas thanked Algeria for supporting the vote at the United Nations against the economic, financial and commercial blockade imposed by the United States against Cuba, which was strengthened by 243 measures approved by former President Donald Trump (2017-2021) and the inclusion of the island in the list of countries supporting terrorism.
He explained to the Algerian delegation that such impediments affect national development and deepen in areas such as finance and banking and tourism; Cuba has managed to create three vaccines against Covid-19 and ensure that the entire population is immunized.
He stressed that the island requires investment in infrastructure, industrial upgrading and foreign trade in new products and services, and was referring to the opening of foreign investment in sectors such as new technologies, renewable energy, agri-food, transport and tourism.
This, together with businesses in ZEDM, healthcare, sugar, parcels, energy and mines, in short, a wide range of opportunities.
Source: Juventud Rebelde