By Jeniffer Rodríguez

The analysis of the behavior of exports and imports during 2021, the state of productive linkages for such purposes and foreign investment in Havana, focused the discussions of the Balance of the Provincial Directorate of Foreign Trade and International Relations.

The meeting was chaired by Maritza del Carmen Romero Drake, member of the Provincial Party Bureau; Yanet Hernández Pérez, deputy governor of the city; Roberto López Hernández, deputy minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment; and Jorge Luis Villa Miranda, coordinator of programs and objectives of the Economy of the Provincial Government.

   Luis Carlos Góngora Domínguez, Director General of Foreign Trade and Foreign Relations of the Government of Havana, informed that the functioning of the structure has been strengthened and that specialists have broadened their preparation, although it is necessary to maintain the training cycles.

   In 2021, exports in Havana grew by 3.32 percent over the previous year, and by the state enterprise a figure of 505 products consolidated in the market is reached, in development 38 have been identified and in promotion 78.

    Non-state management forms (FGNE) have 53 products abroad and the participation of 49 actors, of which 4 are non-agricultural cooperatives, 4 are creators, 37 are self-employed and 4 are in the category of others.

   In this group, services predominate (gastronomic, maintenance and repair of air conditioning and refrigeration equipment, messaging, software development, accounting management). 

   Góngora Domínguez emphasized that more than 1191 FGNE actors participate in the import process.

   Among the obstacles to the acquisition of products abroad, he mentioned the increase in freight and costs, the impossibility of the national industry to guarantee the necessary containers and packaging, the absence of a wholesale market to meet the demands of producers for inputs, the excessive documents required to apply for credit, and the lack of training for producers.

   Regarding the productive chains, he said, it has its expressions in the agricultural, educational and tourism sectors.

  Also significant is the work of creators and self-employed people, who have made their presence felt, for example, by making containers, labels and packaging available, he said.

   The work of Empresa Metal Mecánica Varona, which in its portfolio of research and creation projects includes new products that are added to the construction and assembly of mini industries and complete plants of different capacities, making adaptations, adaptations of technologies, guaranteeing the sustainability of these projects, was also significant.

   In the area of International Relations, he explained that during the year delegations from different cities were received and meetings were held with diplomatic headquarters based in Havana.

   As regards links with international organizations, the biannual meeting of Mayors of Ibero-American Capitals was held, among other activities.

   The balance was attended by mayors; chief specialists in foreign trade of the municipalities; heads of departments of international cooperation projects; directors of companies and new economic actors, among others.