KINGSTON, Jamaica — Jamaica’s trade and investment promotions agency, JAMPRO, is currently hosting a Cuban delegation representing 10 organisations for a weeklong trade mission.

In a release today, JAMPRO said the trade mission runs from July 17 to 21 and follows its Caribbean Market Mission initiative to boost regional export.

The trade mission, a result of JAMPRO’s Cuban market development programme, will have representatives from Cuban State Agencies such as the National Bank of Cuba, the Ministry of Foreign Trade and Investment, Ministry of Domestic Trade, the Chamber of Commerce of Cuba, and key enterprises like QUIMIMPORT (chemicals), CORALSA (food), QUIMIMPEX (exports and imports), CUBASOL SA and IMECO (construction).

 CUBASOL SA is an entrepreneurial group composed of important agencies and enterprises related to the Tourism industry.

Meanwhile, Jamaican companies will get the opportunity to promote their products for export to Cuba through factory visits, as well as meetings with the Cuban companies to initiate negotiations for the sale of locally manufactured products, JAMPRO said.

The Cuban representatives will tour Jamaican companies, to understand the country’s capacity for manufacturing to meet the demand of the Cuban market, with a population of 11 Million.

The delegation will also meet with Jamaican government counterparts to discuss improving the exporting process to Cuba. The mission will end with the “Doing Business with Cuba” seminar to provide companies with the knowledge necessary to do business in the country.

JAMPRO noted that a highlight of the seminar is a presentation on the CARICOM-Cuba trade agreement.

“Having targeted the Cuban market through our many missions there, especially to FIHAV, The Havana International Fair, and hospitality trade fair HostelCuba, we needed to take the next step to cement the relationships we had initiated and concretise the demand we had identified,” said President of JAMPRO Diane Edwards.

Cuba’s Ambassador to Jamaica, Bernardo Guanche Hernández added that the mission is part of a continuous effort to build trade between Jamaica and Cuba and encourage knowledge sharing between both countries.

“Thanks to the efficient and gracious work by JAMPRO, the Cuban delegation will visit Jamaica to fulfil an extensive agenda. The visit is part of the efforts carried out by both countries to increase trade and businesses in concordance with the excellent level of bilateral relations between Cuba and Jamaica,” he said.

JAMPRO is an agency of the Ministry of Economic Growth and Job Creation.