Rustam Minnikhanov: Tatarstan is ready to share its experience in the sphere of creation and development of innovative sites and special economic zones with Cuba

On April 21, at the Kazan Kremlin, at his meeting with Deputy Chairman of the Council of ministers of the Republic of Cuba, co-chairman of Russia-Cuba Interdepartmental commission on trade-economic and scientific-technical cooperation Ricardo Cabrisas, Interim President of the republic Rustam Minnikhanov said that Tatarstan is ready to share its experience in the sphere of creation and development of innovative sites and special economic zones with Cuba.

Rustam Minnikhanov welcomed the guests and thanked leadership of Cuba for a warm reception and help in organization of the visit of Tatarstan delegation to Cuba in November 2014. During that visit members of the delegation held a number of meetings and negotiations, took part in the 32nd Havana International Fair, and visited Centre for Genetic engineering and Biotechnology in Havana.

Rustam Minnikhanov reminded that a session of Russia-Cuba intergovernmental commission on trade-economic and scientific-technical cooperation will be held in Kazan on April 22. “Today Russia and Cuba put much emphasis on issues of regional cooperation, Minnikhanov said, and expressed his confidence that the current visit of the Cuban delegation to the republic will give impetus to Tatarstan-Cuba relations.

Speaking about potential areas of cooperation, Rustam Minnikhanov focused on medicine, biotechnologies, pharmaceutics, IT, and innovations.

Ricardo Cabrisas was interested in the republic’s experience in the sphere of creation of special economic zones, and added that Cuba started realizing social and economic development until 2030 in the next five years (2016-2020). “We are ready to send our specialists to Tatarstan in order to study your experience in attracting foreign investments,” Cabrisas said addressing Rustam Minnikhanov. He continued that Cuba is working on renewable sources of energy, increase of electricity generation, petrochemistry and pharmaceutics.

Ricardo Cabrisas positively estimated cooperation of Tatarstan and Cuba in the sphere of education and development of research areas.