CUBA
ECONOMIC AND
BUSINESS OUTLOOK
South Africa 2015
 Area:
109.884 km².
12 times smaller than South
Africa
 Population:
11.2 million.
11 times less tan South Africa
GDP at current prices: 82 billion USD (2014)
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Rank: Cuba 66, South Africa 29
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GDP per capita at current prices: 7375,0 USD
(2014 est.)
Rank: Cuba 92, South Africa 77
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Human Development Index: Rank: 44
South Africa: Rank 118
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Life expectancy at birth:79.26 years (2014)
Better than the USA and comparable to Denmark
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Infant mortality rate:4.2 deaths per 1000 live births
Better than Canada, New Zeland, the UK and the USA
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Public health system: free, public and universal
Literacy rate: 99.8%
Education: free, public and universal
1.
Limited natural resources
2.
US economic blockade
3.
Economic inefficiency
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Enhance the capacity to plan and program
development.
Reassess and decentralize government
owned economic activity
Restructure the role, nature and
management of government owned
business and enterprises
Acknowledgment of other forms of property
and management (cooperative and private)
The need to change the energy matrix
The attraction of foreign investment.
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Peace, stability and fair distribution of wealth
High development in human resources: special
skills in high tech (biotechnology, and software
development)
Geographical location
Natural conditions for development in the
touristic sector
Relatively developed infrastructure
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MAIN TRADING PARTNERS: Venezuela, China,
Spain, Canada, Brazil, Holland, Mexico, Italy,
France
MAIN EXPORTS IN GOODS: nickel, biomedical
products, sugar, tobacco, rum, fish, natural
honey, citrus
SERVICES ARE THE MAIN EXPORT (70%):
Tourism (3 million tourists in 2014) and
health services
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Insufficient level of internal savings to ensure
adequate rhythms of economic growth
Need to attract of 2.5 billion USD external
resources via long term loans and foreign
direct investment
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A new law (2014)
A portfolio of opportunities: 246 projects
worth 8.7 billion USD in 11 strategic sectors
Including: agribusiness, biotech and
pharmaceutical, tourism, renewable
energy, construction, oil exploration,
mining, industrial production.
 45
Km from Havana
 Port facility
 Proximity to universities and
scientific research centers, as well
as airports
 Adequate rail and road
connections
 Geographical position
 Formally
established in 1994
 Excellent political engagement
 Poor trade and business
interactions
Bilateral trade: 23 million USD
No foreign investment
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Poor knowledge about Cuba´s potential
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Geographical distance
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Misunderstanding about the real scope
and limitations of US unilateral economic
sanctions (deterrent effect)
Hessitation from the financial sector in
South Africa
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Manufacturing plant for radial tires: Production
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Manufacturing plant for aluminum cans: (beer,
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target of 1.2 million radial tires a year
soft drinks, juice, processed foods etc.) at levels
over 600 million units per year
Manufacturing plants for air conditioning
equipment
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Manufacturing plants for glass bottles: beer, foods, rum,
medicines at over 210 million units per year.
Manufacturing plants for commercial footwear: targetting
approximately 47 million pairs of shoes per year.
Installation and operation of photovoltaic solar farms
with capacities between 5 and 15 MWp.
Manufacturing light automobiles: to assemble and
manufacture a minimum of 10,000 light automobiles per
year.
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Production of beef, pork, poultry, other meats
and their industrial processing and
commercialization.
Agro-industrial production of citrus fruit.
Production of carbonated drinks and bottled
water.
Production of cereals, sweets, refined oil and
other food products.
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Sugar industry
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Information and computer technologies:
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Newsprint, bond and tissue paper
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productions of hardware and softwares
Production of stainless steel alloys and
metal structures
Car batteries and UPS
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Building, management and commercializing hotels
Real estate development associated with the Golf
Courses
Management and commercialization of 33 existing
hotel facilities and of new hotel facilities under
construction
Construction materials and technologies
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Energy generation from forestry biomass
Bioelectrical Plants with 30MW to 60MW
capacity
Mining prospecting and exploration:
nickel, gold , silver, copper, lead, zinc,
mica, kaolin
CUBA:
A FRIENDLY DESTINATION FOR SOUTH AFRICA