Cuban President receives delegation of Russian entrepreneurs in Havana

By Al Mayadeen English
Source: Agencies
19 Jan 2023 14:37
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The Cuban President, Miguel Diaz-Canel, meets with Russian entrepreneurs in Havana to discuss cooperation on transportation, energy, and finance issues, including the launch of the Mir payment system in Cuba

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel (L) and Russian President Vladimir Putin (R). November 23, 2022 (TASS)

Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel met with a delegation of Russian entrepreneurs on Thursday in Havana to follow up on agreements reached during his recent visit to Moscow.

"Today we received an important delegation of Russian businessmen at the Palace of the Revolution to follow up on agreements from our last visit to this brotherly country. We are moving very fast in implementing everything that we discussed with [Russian] President [Vladimir] Putin," he tweeted.

Cuban Foreign Trade Minister Rodrigo Malmierca, who accompanied the president to the meeting, previously listed the joint projects currently underway between Cuba and Russia.

The Russians are helping modernize Cuba's Antillana de Acero electric steel plant, the Boca de Jaruco oil field, and the Santa Clara mechanical plant. In the Mariel special economic zone, there is a KAMAZ diagnostics and repair center.

Russia and Cuba are cooperating on transportation, energy, and finance issues, including the launch of the Mir payment system in Cuba, according to Malmierca. He added that the Caribbean country is interested in attracting Russian investments and companies, as well as importing food and various raw materials.

Diaz-Canel visited Moscow for the second time during his presidency in November 2022. He met with Putin and other senior Russian officials and attended the unveiling of a monument to Fidel Castro.

The visit confirmed that bilateral relations are improving, and that the implementation of agreements reached will contribute to the development of political, trade, economic, scientific, and technical cooperation, according to the Russian president.