Successful trade mission to Cuba
From 3 to 5 April, Minister-president Geert Bourgeois travelled to Cuba, leading the first Flemish trade mission to the country since 2001. Flemish companies on the mission hope to set up shop before the US embargo is lifted. Once lifted, the Cuban market is expected to be flooded with US companies.
The Flemish delegation visited economic development zone Mariel, located near the capital Havana. This zone was especially created to attract Western investments and offers liberal legislation and limited administrative duties. Our country has always maintained a good relationship with Cuba, something the Cubans have not forgotten. It offers the Flemish companies a head start in entering the Mariel zone. Claire Tillekaerts of Flanders Investment and Trade: "Flanders has all the diversity needed to stand strong here and grow. We just have to show what we can do and also clearly say it."
Minister-president Bourgeois is convinced that a stronger economic cooperation will also increase the focus on human rights in Cuba. He brought the issue up during his meetings with Minister of Foreign Trade Rodrigo Malmierca Diaz and Foreign Affairs Minister Marcelino Medina Gonzalez. "Human rights are important for us and for the European Union. But we have seen for example in Eastern Europe that commercial relations can lead to more openness, "said Bourgeois.
In addition to these meetings the Minister-president met with the Minister of Culture, Julián González Toledo. During the meeting, Bourgeois announced that money from the Flemish UNESCO Trust Fund will be used on preparing a management plan for the Cuban National Park “Jardines de la Reina”.
The Jardines de la Reina consist of more than six hundred islets and reefs and are a true diver's paradise. Climate change, pollution and overfishing have put the fragile ecosystem of reefs under pressure worldwide. Listing the Jardines as World Heritage will preserve the park for future generations and enables sustainable tourism. A first step toward a listing as UNESCO World Heritage, is drawing up a management plan, with Flemish support.