The United States is returning to the Havana International Trade Fair (FIHAV), an event that will start next October 31. Some 40 companies from that country will be present in the Expocuba fairgrounds, taking up more than 500 square meters, increasing by twofold previous editions’ participation. The sectors represented by U.S. companies include the production and marketing of food products, beverage, construction and agricultural products and transportation.
According to the organizers of FIHAV 2016, the JetBlue company will exhibit its services in the fairgrounds’ open-air areas. This was the first of the airlines already flying to the island with their government’s authorization and which recently announced discounts in the price of its tickets to Cuba starting November 30.
Other firms from that country in the fair’s catalogue are the PepsiCo beverages and aperitifs multinational with several of its star products; Crider Foods, a world leader in the production of canned chicken; Gardener-Gibson, of renowned quality in the manufacturing of waterproofing systems; Westar Seeds International, specializing in the supply of seeds; and Smithfield Foods, leader in the marketing of packed meat products, especially pork.
Together with the United States, other countries increasing their participation are Spain, France, Italy and Japan. Companies from 75 countries will be present in this 34th edition of the fair, with Venezuela, China and Russia as the island’s trade partners most represented in the event, while three African nations – Ethiopia, Gabon and Tanzania – are participating for the first time.
These figures, together with the more than 28,000 square meters being taken up this time by the exhibitions, turn FIHAV 2016 into the most relevant held to date, at least in quantitative terms.
“We are sure this edition is going to contribute not just to promoting Cuban exports and attracting foreign capital, but also to strengthening our government’s policy of diversifying to the utmost our international economic relations,” commented Cuban Foreign Trade and Investments Minister Rodrigo Malmierca.
The increase in foreign participation is viewed by the Cuban authorities as an explicit rejection of the U.S. embargo on the island, a topic that was again voted on in the UN General Assembly and which had unprecedented results.
“The rejection of that policy is seen in the fair, with an increasingly greater participation, not just of countries but also of very important companies from all continents,” Malmierca said regarding this and noted that the measures approved until now by the Obama administration, like those included in the October 21 package, “are totally insufficient,” since “they do not modify the essence of the blockade.”
He also affirmed that the presence in the event of more than 15 high-level delegations, headed by ministers and deputy ministers, is an “expression of the trust our trade partners have in the Cuban State and the reiterated rejection of the economic, commercial and financial embargo policy of the U.S. government against Cuba.”
FIHAV 2016 will last until November 4 and will include the 1st Investment Forum, a new space to facilitate foreign companies’ coordination of commercial links in Cuba. In addition, the third edition of the Business Portfolio for foreign investment on the island will be presented.
