General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee and State President Tô Lâm and his Cuban counterpart Miguel Diaz Canel Bermudez visited the Mariel Special Development Zone (ZEDM), the first free trade and export processing zone of Cuba. — VNA/VNS Photo Lâm Khánh

HAVANA — General Secretary of the Communist Party of Việt Nam Central Committee and State President Tô Lâm and a high-ranking delegation of Việt Nam on September 26 morning (local time) visited the Mariel Special Development Zone (ZEDM), the first free trade and export processing zone of Cuba, as part of his ongoing state visit to the Caribbean country.

First Secretary of the Communist Party of Cuba Central Committee and President of Cuba Miguel Diaz Canel Bermudez also joined the activity.

ZEDM General Director Ana Teresa Igarza Martínez said the zone is located at Mariel port in Artemisa province, covering an area of about 465 sq.km. Việt Nam holds the distinction of being the second largest investor in the ZEDM, with notable projects such as the ViMariel Industrial Park, the first and only economic zone in Cuba invested by a Vietnamese enterprise.

Diaz-Canel Bermudez praised Vietnamese enterprises' operations in the ZEDM, describing them as evidence for the special traditional friendship between the two countries and the promising future of their economic cooperation.

Expressing gratitude for Việt Nam's unwavering support, he hoped for continued success in the bilateral relations.

Lâm praised the ZEDM as a promising economic model, noting its potential to test innovative policies before scaling them up nationwide. He believed this approach will generate stronger momentum for Cuba's economy, helping it overcome current challenges.

Việt Nam will never forget the sentiments Cuba had reserved for Việt Nam in the past, he said, affirming that the policy of the Vietnamese Party, State, and investors is to actively contribute to Cuba’s current construction and development.

The ZEDM offers a broad spectrum of promising investment opportunities in various key sectors, including biotechnology, pharmaceutical research and production, packaging, renewable energy, agriculture, food industry, general industry, information technology, communications, tourism, real estate, and infrastructure development. Products from these investment projects are positioned not only for the domestic market but also for export to regional countries.

Vietnamese and Cuban top leaders present gifts to the Vietnamese workers who are working at the Mariel Special Development Zone (ZEDM). — VNA/VNS Photo Lâm Khánh

With its comprehensive, modern, and highly connected infrastructure, the ZEDM stands as an attractive destination for international investors, including those from Việt Nam. The zone serves as a strategic gateway for businesses seeking to establish presence in the Latin American, Caribbean, and South American markets, which are poised for substantial growth in the coming years.

Later, the two leaders visited several projects in the ZEDM, including the ViMariel Industrial Park.

On this occasion, they witnessed the announcement of granting investment licences to two Vietnamese enterprises, namely the Thai Binh Global Investment Joint Stock Company and the ATG Fertilizer Company. — VNS