On November 1,Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz, a Council of Ministers vice president and Minister of Economy and Planning, received Mirko Sarovic Vice President of the Council of Ministers, and Minister of Trade and Economic Relations of Bosnia and Herzegovina; who was accompanied by Foreign Ministry advisor, Ljubo Grkovic, and secretary, Ranka Boigdanovic.
After thanking Cuba for inviting him to visit the island, Sarovic expressed his country’s willingness to continue strengthening economic, commercial and collaborative relations with Cuba, highlighting the historic ties which unite both peoples.
Vice President Cabrisas meanwhile, emphasized Cuba’s efforts to broaden and diversify international cooperation, and spoke about progress being made in the updating of the island’s economic model and the effect on this process of the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States on the island, and repeatedly condemned by the international community. He also thanked Bosnia and Herzegovina for their vote in favor of an end to the policy at the UN General Assembly, that same day.
Participating on the Cuban side were Nélida Guerra Moreira and Roberto Infante Cervantes, deputy director and specialist at the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Investment’s Trade Policy Department, respectively.
Prior to the meeting Cabrisas received Ivan Steve Martina, minister of Economic Development of Curaçao, and Guido Landheer, deputy minister of Economic and Trade Relations at the Foreign Ministry of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, leading business delegations to the island to attend the 35th Havana International Trade Fair, currently being held in the capital.
The officials were accompanied by Alexandra Valkenburg Roelefs, ambassador of Kingdom of the Netherlands to Cuba; Vanessa Toré, director of International Cooperation at Curaçao’s Ministry of Economic Development, as well as Sharlon Melfor, and Hugo Grondel; ministerial advisor and International Economic advisor at the Foreign Ministry of the Kingdom of the Netherlands, respectively.
During the meeting participants reviewed the good state of bilateral economic relations, noting significant progress in the spheres of business, cooperation and above all trade, which grew 10% in the first six months of the year, making the Kingdom of the Netherlands Cuba’s sixth biggest trading partner in Europe and among the top 10 worldwide.
As such officials highlighted the positive development of economic and trade ties with the Dutch Caribbean Islands, above all Curaçao; as well as the establishment of important agreements in various sectors, including energy and telecommunications.
During the meeting both parties reaffirmed their willingness to continue developing relations and strengthening and diversifying trade and business.
Also participating on the Cuban side were Nélida Guerra Moreira and Yudith Viera, deputy director and specialist at the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Investment’s Europe Trade Policy Office, respectively.
(Granma)