Thousands flock to 37th Havana International Trade Fair

World Today

Thousands of visitors from dozens of countries are in Havana this week for the 37th International Trade Fair.

The expo showcases Cuban products and also helps connect investors with business opportunities on the island.

CGTN’s Luis Chirino has details.

This trade fair once again brings local and foreign business people together in order to strike new trade and investment deals, which are crucial for the Cuban economy.

During the fair’s inauguration, which was attended by Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel, foreign trade and investment minister Rodrigo Malmierca expressed his gratitude to all foreign companies that keep betting on the Cuban market despite the economic and financial tensions facing the country.  This is the case for American companies like the South Florida-based Crowley Maritime Corporation,  which has operated here since 2001.

“We will adjust services and we will stay here and we will do the very best we can to give this market what it needs in order to be able to continue and to grow,” Vice President Jay S. Brickman said.

According to the fair’s organizing committee, over 4,000 entrepreneurs from some 60 countries are attending the commercial event. The new thing about this fair is  the participation for the first time of two non-state cooperatives as exhibitors, which demonstrates the importance of private initiatives to the Cuban economy.