"Expectations are quite important"

Jean-Yves, Minister of Foreign Affairs The Drian, is in Cuba Saturday and Sunday, July 28 and 29. This is the first time, since the beginning of the five-year Macron, that a member of the government goes to the island. "It's been two years now that France has fully restored its relations with Cuba, so the expectations are quite important" explains Olivier Dabène, President of the Latin American Policy Observatory at CERI (Sciences Po

On the official program of Jean-Yves Le Drian: a meeting with his Cuban counterpart and a visit to the historic center of Havana. The minister will also be keen to develop the economic relationship with Cuba, some sixty French companies are currently present on the island.

franceinfo: What are the interests of France in this visit?

Olivier Dabène: There are economic and political issues. It has now been two years since France has fully re-established relations with Cuba. Expectations are therefore quite important. The years 2015 and 2016 have been a little disappointing, so the minister will probably be keen to boost our bilateral trade with the island, because they have tended to decline in the last two years. This is not very good news.

On the other hand, the change of the Cuban Constitution, to open its market and allow the accession to private property is good news?

Yes, it will give a little more legal certainty for investors. A law on investments has already been pbaded in 2014, so there was a first evolution and the French took advantage of it. It's now about taking advantage of it. We export a lot of grain to Cuba, but there is also the tourism sector, the building sector. Bouygues is rather well placed, it was awarded the renovation of the port. In the wake of Bouygues, other SMEs will be present. There are important issues: dairy products, cheese, car accessories etc. There is a fairly large range of products.

Cuba has a strategic position in the region. So there is a political dimension?

Absolutely. Moreover, Jean-Yves Le Drian pbaded through Colombia before going to Cuba. He went to testify to the French support for the ongoing process in Colombia, which faces several obstacles. Cuba had played a vital role in the peace negotiations with the Colombian guerrillas. It is also a question of politically convincing Cuba that more needs to be done to help Colombia move forward in its peace process. France and Cuba are now forming a special relationship. There was an important presidential visit, that of François Hollande in May 2015. It was three years ago, but it was the first official visit of a French president since the Cuban revolution, so was not trivial. Since then, there have been several cross-visits, in both directions. There is a climate of good agreement in this bilateral relationship. As far as Cuba is concerned, there is a new team, new ministers, a new President. They are younger people, who are in their fifties, who have not lived through the revolution and who are much more pragmatic. They are trying to put Cuba on the path of progress for years to come. For France, it is important too, because there has not been much contact between the new Macron presidency and Latin America so far. This is a step that will be taken.