Portugal looks to Cuba as a tourist destination, with rum and cigars. What opportunities are there for companies to invest in Cuba?
We have disclosed opportunities in Portugal in many sectors, in line with our National Development Plan, namely in food production. Developing agriculture and food processing are opportunities for Portuguese entrepreneurs, taking into account the weight of this sector and the experience of entrepreneurs. This also opens opportunities for Portugal to import fresh Cuban products. It is a vision we have for the future, to establish a buying and selling relationship that will undoubtedly be a strategic relationship that can go straight into production and ensure the main revenues until commercialization. Another sector that I believe plays a prominent role in creating good relations between the two countries is renewable energy. We aim to increase the production and generation of electricity from renewable sources to 35%, which will happen in phases. We have excellent conditions for the development of photovoltaic and wind energy, with the construction of parks. This could be another sector with a lot of interest.
And in the pharmaceutical sector?
Yes, it is another sector that could offer many opportunities. The pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry is one area in which Cuba has achieved good results, as evidenced by the fight against Covid. Cuba has diagnostic and therapeutic products for major diseases such as cancer, diabetes, neurodegenerative diseases, which may be of interest to Portuguese entrepreneurs for joint development and in line with European standards. We have a vision that the products are not just for the markets of origin, as both Cuba and Portugal can serve as gateways to their respective regions. On the Cuban side, the North American Integration Association, which assists with information, benefits, and other facilities that can assist in accessing the Caribbean and Central American markets to products that can be manufactured by joint ventures or wholly foreign-funded companies . And we look to Portugal as a gateway to Europe.
Source: DN
