From November 4 to 8, a delegation of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation headed by Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation Ilya Zubkov is visiting the Republic of Cuba. The delegation of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation is formed from the heads of the chambers of commerce and industry of the Moscow, Ryazan, Tula and Chelyabinsk regions, as well as member organizations of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry.

On November 4, Vice President Ilya Zubkov and members of the delegation took part in the official opening ceremony of the 40th International Havana Fair and Exhibition FIHAV-2024 and the Russian exposition at the exhibition. In terms of its scale, level of representation and number of participants, the exhibition is one of the most successful exhibition venues in Latin America. The Russian Federation is a traditional participant in the exhibition.

The official opening of the anniversary exhibition FIHAV-2024 was attended by the President of the Republic of Cuba Miguel Diaz-Canel, who visited the Russian pavilion, with whom Ilya Zubkov had a working conversation on the sidelines of the exhibition.

On the same day, the Russian-Cuban Business Forum was held. It is symbolic that the Forum was planned for one of the most important holidays in Russia - National Unity Day, because the peoples of the Russian Federation and the Republic of Cuba are fraternal and have been walking hand in hand for many years.

Trade, economic and business relations between the Russian Federation and the Republic of Cuba have a long history, are built on the basis of mutual trust, respect, as well as on the basis of national interests, which is especially important in the context of building a multipolar world order.

Latin America in general and Cuba in particular are of increased interest to business circles in Russia, which indicates the opening of new opportunities and the expansion of areas of work.

"I would like to separately note the interest of Russian citizens in visiting Cuba for tourism purposes. The forecast for 2024 is 200 thousand tourists from Russia. Multiple growth and serious potential for the Cuban tourism industry. The opportunity to pay in Cuba with MIR bank cards additionally stimulates tourist activity, which eliminates the need to carry cash, increases safety and convenience during travel," Ilya Zubkov emphasized.

Great importance is attached to the development of cooperation with Cuba at the regional level. A number of agreements have been previously concluded both with the administrations of Russian regions and individual provinces of Cuba, and between the Chambers of Commerce and Industry. Such documents were signed by the Republic of Bashkortostan, Moscow, Orenburg and Yaroslavl regions, Nizhny Novgorod. And on November 4, within the framework of the Russian-Cuban Business Forum, a Memorandum of Cooperation was signed between the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Ryazan Region and the Chamber of Commerce of the Republic of Cuba.

At the end of the Forum, a meeting was held between the Vice President of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation Ilya Zubkov and the President of the Chamber of Commerce of the Republic of Cuba Antonio Carricare Corona.

On November 5, meetings are scheduled between the head and members of the delegation of the Chamber of Commerce and Industry of the Russian Federation with the leadership of the ministries of tourism, food industry, agriculture, foreign trade and foreign investment, economy and planning of the Republic of Cuba, as well as a visit to the Mariel free economic zone.

                                                              Department of Regional Development, Yu. Golovchenko