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Havana International Fair
Caribbean Export’s support to the participation of regional firms in the annual
hosting of the Havana International Fair (FIHAV), under the 10th EDF RPSDP
focuses on creating business opportunities between Cuba and CARIFORUM
member states in order to promote the sectors that are readily positioned
within a global trade context. The Agency also provides the necessary discussion
platform to take on specific trade-related issues of business between the two
territories. In this regard, Caribbean Export partners with the Cuban Chamber of
Commerce for B2B matching with selected companies.
FIHAV is the largest annual multi-sector trade fair in Cuba, and is held during
the first week of November. The event welcomes over 4,500 exhibits from 60
countries. The pavilion grounds, inaugurated in 1989, consist of 25 separate
buildings on approximately 20,000 square meters located at the ExpoCuba
fairgrounds site on the outskirts of Havana. FIHAV is an event organised by the
Ministry of Foreign Trade and Investment of the Republic of Cuba, the Cuban
Chamber of Commerce, the Conventions Palace and ExpoCuba. This multi-sector
commercial fair covers industry sectors such as consumer goods, machinery,
equipment, information technology, raw materials and services.
For the 2012 edition, a delegation of 14 CARIFORUM firms from the Dominican
Republic, Jamaica and Suriname participated in the Trade Fair. Caribbean Export’s
participation in FIHAV 2012, focused on creating business opportunities between
Cuba and CARIFORUM member states in order to promote the sectors that
are readily positioned within a global trade context. The Agency also provided
the necessary discussion platform to take on specific trade-related issues that
business between Cuba and the rest of the CARIFORUM member states. In this
regard, Caribbean Export has partnered with the Cuban Chamber of Commerce
to a Business-to-Business matching with selected companies.
In 2013, the Agency supported the participation of 13 regional firms from
Barbados, Dominican Republic, Jamaica and Saint Lucia in attending and
showcasing at FIHAV. With a focus on creating business opportunities between
Cuban buyers and CARIFORUM SMEs in order to promote the sectors that are
readily positioned within a global trade context, the Agency again provided the
necessary platform to discuss trade between Cuba CARIFORUM States, with
support from the Cuban Chamber of Commerce in host business matchmaking
sessions.
Caribbean Export facilitated the participation of 10 firms from the Dominican
Republic and Haiti during the 2014 hosting of the event within the framework of
the 10th EDF Haiti-Dominican Republic Bi-National Programme. One company
from Jamaica, whose participation was
coordinated by Jamaica Promotions
Corporation (JAMPRO), was also
present at the Fair. The Dominican
companies were primarily from the
beauty and cosmetics sector whereas
the Haitian private sector participant
represented the textile manufacturing
and handicraft industries. A series of
B2B meetings were also coordinated
by the Cuban Chamber of Commerce,
and provided participants with the
opportunity to meet with institutional
buyers to offer their products and
establish commercial ties. Caribbean
Export also sponsored the participation
of institutional partners under the Bi-
National Programme the Association
of Industries of the Dominican
Republic (AIRD), CEI-RD, MIC, and CCIH.
Representatives fromthese institutions
were able to support their stakeholders
by promoting individual sectors and
their national export product offerings
and establishing relationships with
their counterparts in Cuba.
In 2015, the Agency supported 11
firms in showcasing at the trade fair.
CaribbeanExportorganisedthemission
with the aim of providing the selected
CARIFORUM firms with access to
buyers in the Cuba in order to increase
exports to that market; furnishing
information and practical experience
doing business in the Cuban market;
and delivering significant insight into
newtrendsandemergingopportunities
in the Cuban market.
Fifty-five percent (55%) of the
beneficiaries reported meeting the
targets of increased knowledge
ENHANCING COMPETITIVENESS
AND PROMOTING INNOVATION