The 15th Session of the Intergovernmental Commission for Economic-Commercial and Scientific-Technical Cooperation between the Republic of Cuba and the Russian Federation was held in Moscow on September 21, presided by Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz, a vice president of the Council of Ministers, and Russian Deputy Prime Minister Dimitri Rogozin.
In the context of this important event, the parties noted the excellent state of bilateral relations between the two countries and, in particular, the progress made in the last three years in the development of economic, commercial and financial ties, including important joint projects in the spheres of energy, transport – particularly the railway sector – industry – including the medical-pharmaceutical sector – agriculture, science and technology, and the promotion of Cuban exports in the Russian market.
Prospects for the future creation of further Cuban-Russian joint ventures were also examined, on the basis of the opportunities offered by Cuba’s Foreign Investment Law no. 118, and the Mariel Special Development Zone.
Russian Deputy Prime Minister, Dimitri Rogozi, expressed his condolences to the Cuban people and government for the human and material damages caused by Hurricane Irma, and reiterated that the government of the Russian Federation is preparing to send aid to the island to assist recovery efforts.
Meanwhile, Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz, a vice president of the Council of Ministers and minister of Economy and Planning of the Republic of Cuba, outlined the damages caused by Hurricane Irma and progress in the recovery phase. He also provided a detailed explanation of the updating of the Cuban economic and social model, and the effective participation of the Russian Federation in the island’s National Economic and Social Development Plan through 2030.
To conclude the meeting, which was preceded by sessions of the eight working groups in the different spheres of relations, the two government officials signed the Final Act of the 15th Session and six other documents in the areas of energy, rail transport and the supply of Russian elevators for the Cuban capital’s tall buildings.
During his official visit to the Russian Federation, which began on Monday, September 18, Cabrisas held meetings with the Russian ministers of Agriculture, Transport, Trade and Industry and Finance, with the executives of important Russian companies undertaking projects with Cuba, such as Russian Railways, Rosneft, Autovaz, Kamaz, GAZ, and UAZ, and with the presidents of the Russian Export Center and International Investment Bank.
(Granma)