The Cold War is long since over. The U.S. has normal diplomatic and trade relations with Russia and the other former components of the Soviet Union, with China, and even with Vietnam, where it fought a bloody and hugely controversial war. It is even negotiating with North Korea—however reluctantly.

MTU Friedrichshafen and Hyundai Heavy Industries executives probably didn’t know what “hit” them earlier this year, when their Cuban subsidiaries landed contracts to sell a total of 180 diesel engines to Venezuela.

Even Conservatives in Western Europe are inclined to be scornful of the American economic embargo of Cuba, perhaps the longest running political tantrum in recent history. But Americans for their part might well ask whether the European Union’s own policy of “constructive engagement” has been any more effective in achieving what they both say they want, which is to bring democracy to Cuba.

The overall climate for foreign investment in Cuba has improved during 2007, especially for larger investors. Marta Lomas (Minister for Foreign Investment – MINVEC) said in September 2007, that “Cuba is ready for a second phase of opening towards foreign investment, without repeating the errors of the 1990s.

With the fortunes of the global economy now looking more uncertain than before, and the outcome of Cuba’s broad internal debate on economic policy still unknown, it is not easy to forecast the Cuban economy in the next five years. In this context, the Economist Intelligence Unit’s annual publication, Country Forecast: Cuba, is hedged with more provisos than usual.

It is more than a year since Fidel Castro fell ill, and no signs of major policy shifts toward market liberalization have emerged under the leadership of his younger brother Raúl. Yet, beneath the calm surface, a debate is taking place at different levels of Havana’s government, among prominent Cuban scholars, and even among ordinary people over potential reforms aimed to address the island’s crucial economic problems and enhance living conditions for all Cubans.

Views on the quality of Cuban-backed credit obligations often fall into two very different camps. There are those who consider anything to do with the tropical island is basically junk while others argue that in fact Cuba is an under-rated highly performing niche market.

Americans who ask what Cuba will be like when it opens to foreign investment may be in danger of missing the boat. Visitors may not notice that they land at an airport financed by a Canadian banking consortium, take a Mercedes taxi to a hotel built by a French construction group and part owned by a Spanish hotel chain.

Doctors for export; altruism; humanism; or plain old politics; whatever you call it, Cuba’s massive international health program helps the bottom billion. These are the world’s poorest and most desperate, to whom prevention, simple interventions, or vaccines can mean the difference between life and death.

Cuba’s economy and the world are changing faster than ever. Our monthly newsletter helps you stay ahead of the curve. Every month for the past eight years, Cuba Trade and Investment News has been bringing you breaking news, useful data, and intelligent analysis about the Cuban economy and US embargo regulations and policy changes.

A decade ago, the lawyer from Tampa, Florida and head of the local delegation of the Cuban American National Foundation (CANF) was feared for his tactics of disrupting any gathering that dared advocating a semblance of normal relations with Cuba.

The Cold War is long since over. The U.S. has normal diplomatic and trade relations with Russia and the other former components of the Soviet Union, with China, and even with Vietnam, where it fought a bloody and hugely controversial war. It is even negotiating with North Korea - however reluctantly. But relations with Cuba remain in the deep freeze, tenser perhaps than at any moment since the 1962 missile crisis. U.S.-Cuban relations, indeed, have been characterized by almost unrelieved hostility since the rupture of diplomatic relations in January of 1961.

Details of a number of Think Tanks (mostly although not exclusively US based) which are involved in discussing and evaluating Cuba policy and Cuba strategy as well as developing a better understand / exchange with the island.

Details of all of the major Foreign Embassies in Havana.

Details of business consultants who are able to assist potential investors

Cuban representatives have been actively involved with the development of multiple developments, cultural, scientific and technical co-operation programs with various UN agencies during the past 4 decades.

Old Havana and its Fortifications (1982), San Pedro de la Roca Castle, Santiago de Cuba (1997), Archaeological Landscape of the First Coffee Plantations in the South-East of Cuba (2000), Urban Historic Centre of Cienfuegos (2005), Trinidad and the Valley de los Ingenios (1988), Viñales Valley (1999), Alejandro de Humboldt National Park (2001), Desembarco del Granma National Park (1999)

Canada and Cuba have enjoyed a strong political relationship and its respective public and non-profit agencies are involved in a large variety of human development, environmental and cultural projects. These include: ...

Trade Groups

CUBA grew by 11.8% in 2005. Even if part of this growth is discounted due to the revised methodology which counts public services at an approximate market value rather than cost) used by the Cuban authorities (the EIU estimates 8% using conventional methodology), it is clear that growth was significant.

Orwellian-sounding legislation tries to make a point

CUBA is excluded from key multilateral financialinstitutions such as the IMF / World Bank. In 1986, allservicing on bank and bilateral debt with Westerngovernments was suspended.

'Companies seeking to sell their products in Cuba cannot simply go there and set up a representative office as they might in most other countries. Decree Law 206 of 1996 and Resolution 5501, 2001 of the Foreign Trade Ministry authorizes representative offices of foreign corporations and establishes conditions for their registration.

First: [Foreigners] who have established a branch or representation office within national territory [sic Cuba], and whose activity generates 'benefits' should maintain accounting books and records, registers and other documentation regarding their activities within the country, in accordance with the principals and norms currently in force within Cuba. They are obliged, in accordance with the pertinent legislation, to present a technical report showing the review performed of their annual financial statements, issued by an independent audit firm which has been authorized do so by the Ministry of Finance & Prices.

While many foreign companies have recently left Cuba, total investment has increased as a few major investors have made significant new investments

In early December, 2005 the president, Fidel Castro, spoke at length about these problems, and at the National Assembly meeting, at the end of that month, the government announced that 2006 would be the year of the energy revolution

SUGAR traditionally dominated the agricultural sector with output peaking at 8m tonnes in the 1970s. After 1990, output dropped to 4m tonnes until 2002, when a restructuring plan was implemented to close half of the mills and transfer to other uses half of the agricultural land under sugar cultivation.

TOBACCO was first cultivated in Pinar del Río in1723. Today, it is grown in all 14 provinces throughout Cuba. The conditions of the country are very well suited to the growth of premium tobacco.

CUBA has one of the most advanced biotechnology industries among developing countries, with 52 research institutions working on vaccines and therapies for a range of diseases from AIDS to Alzheimer's, and joint ventures in six countries, including most notably Brazil, China, Iran and India.

CUBA has for many years supported other developing countries through the provision of health workers in those countries, health care in Cuba and scholarship places at medical school in Cuba.

Empresa de Telecomunicaciones de Cuba (Etecsa) was formed in 1994, as a joint venture between the state and a Mexican company, Grupo Domos. The creation of this company was an attempt to address severe underinvestment in the sector which has resulted in a very limited telecoms service in the country with extremely low telephone density.

Booming earnings from the exports of medical services and nickel have financed significant increases in capital imports.

Hugo Chavez did not have to complain of a whiff of sulphur in Havana. The United States, (led, Mr Chavez, believes, by the devil incarnate) declined to send even a low-level observer delegation to the 14th Non-Aligned Movement (NAM) summit, held this year in Havana. But for anyone who is anyone in the developing world, the city was the place to be that September weekend. 56 heads of state and government attended.

During the past 5 decades Cuba has played an important role in many international forums, including the Non-Aligned Movement which held its most recent summit in Havana (see article). Cuba has used its international profile to critique many aspects of US foreign policy and put forward its own development agenda.

industries that have shown the strongest growth over the past decade (such as oil, electricity generation, telecommunications, citrus, tobacco, nickel and tourism) have had a strong presence of foreign investment, and five of the ten enterprises that account for almost 80% of total exports are either joint ventures or contracts for cooperative production.

During 2006 Cuba's exploration activity in the Gulf of Mexico attracted significant attention in the US. At its closest point drilling activity could take place within 50 miles of Key West raising commercial concerns from the US oil industry at being shut out of potentially lucrative contracts and raised the possibility of an oil exemption to the embargo. A large recent find on the American side by Chevron and Devon Energy highlights the potential rewards. .

Nickel and cobalt reserves in the north-east of the island are among the worlds largest. Cuba has about one-third of the world's nickel resources (proven reserves of 800 million tones and 2 ban of probable reserves), and is the fourth largest nickel producer. Cuba's cobalt production is about 10 percent of the world total and the nation has the world's second largest reserves. .

Cuba was originally marketed as a relatively cheap sun and sea destination and proved especially attractive to Canadian snowbirds. All-inclusive hotels both fit this model and ensure that the tourists do not overly disrupt the local economy. As the sector has grown and matured attempts have been made to move the sector up-market. The current emphasis is on increasing profitability per tourist through both cost cutting and improvements to the quality and range of services offered. .