Cuba seeks more investment from Belgium

A visiting Belgian delegation will attend a business forum here Thursday to explore investment opportunities in Cuba.

Entrepreneurs from both countries will analyze the potential to expand commercial exchanges, the National Information Agency (AIN) reported Monday, citing a press release from the island's Chamber of Commerce.

Belgian visitors will get a better idea regarding new investment opportunities in key sectors of the Cuban economy, especially in the Mariel Special Development Zone.

The business meeting will take place in the wake of Cuban Foreign Minister Bruno Rodriguez's visit to Belgium in April.

On that occasion, Rodriguez thanked Belgium for its contribution to Cuba's negotiations with the European Union in search of new economic and commercial agreements.

Cuba is currently seeking foreign capitals of around 2.6 billion U.S. dollars every year to invest in its economy.

With that purpose in mind, Cuba has passed a new investment law, offering better facilities for investor participation in sectors such as mining, tourism, telecommunications and agriculture.

Cuba is aiming for a sound international reputation to facilitate economic growth, said Omar Everleny, a professor with the Center of Economic Studies at the University of Havana.

It has allocated large sums to pay off outstanding debts and tried hard to boost economic performance, the professor said, adding that the country is forecasted to enjoy 4-percent growth in 2015.

Cuba has received more investment proposals from foreign countries since it normalized ties with the United States, Everleny said in an article carried by Contemporanea magazine.