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FROM
CUBA
Number of foreign concerns doing business
in Cuba down for 2003
HAVANA, March 19 (Ariel Delgado Covarrubias
/ www.cubanet.org) - For the first time
in 15 years, the number of foreign business
concerns operating in Cuba has diminished,
from 403 at the end of 2002 to 342 at the
end of 2003, according to the Minister for
Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation,
Marta Lomas.
Even with fewer companies, said the minister,
there was an increase in exports, internal
sales, and profits. She said 70 cents of
every dollar invested stayed in the country,
and pegged net profits at 17%.
The sectors most favorably affected by
foreign investment are basic industry, communications,
tourism, computing, agriculture and food
production. Spain, Canada, Italy and France
are the four biggest investors in the island.
According to ministry reports, 3,242 entrepreneurs
from 85 countries expressed and interest
in investing in the Cuban economy. Despite
existing U. S. government regulations forbidding
most forms of trade between the two countries,
the ministry said 62 U. S. delegations traveled
to Havana for exploratory conversations.
Versión
original en español
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