Pretoria, October 10, 2020.- October 14, 2020- A productive virtual Cuba-South Africa Business Forum was held today, an initiative aimed at promoting bilateral economic, trade and investment relations, in the current context of the intensification of the unilateral and illegal blockade imposed by the government of the United States against Cuba and the COVID-19 pandemic.
The meeting was chaired by the President of the Johannesburg Chamber of Commerce and Industry, Ms. Jacki Mpondo-Hendricks, and the Vice President of the Cuban Chamber of Commerce, Mr. Rubén Ramos Arrieta.
Prioritized sectors of the Cuban economy were represented at the Forum, including, among others, Health, Agriculture, Industry, Biotechnology, Higher Education and Culture, which offered a detailed update on the business opportunities contemplated in the Cuban Opportunities Portfolio, the modalities for foreign investment in our country, the calendar of events of interest; as well as the ways, advantages and potential of doing business with Cuba.
On the South African side, officials from the Johannesburg Chamber of Commerce, the Department of International Relations and Cooperation, the Department of Commerce and Industry and about thirty companies related to the Cuban exhibitors participated.
The Ambassadors of Cuba in South Africa, Rodolfo Benítez Verson, and of South Africa in the Island, Thaninga Shope-Linney, also participated in the Forum and provided valuable comments.
On the occasion of the meeting, a Mutual Cooperation Agreement was signed between both Chambers of Commerce, on which the Cuban Ambassador stated:“The signing of this Agreement is an important step, not only in the strengthening of relations between the two institutions, but also in achieving our common objective of increasing, expanding and diversifying the economic and commercial relations between Cuba and South Africa, to benefit of our peoples."
Cuba and South Africa are currently implementing successful bilateral cooperation agreements in multiple spheres, such as health, education, public works, human settlements, infrastructure, science, information and communication technologies, sports, environment, water and sanitation, among others.
