Rethinking #Cuba: New opportunities for development - #CubaGrowth

Rethinking Cuba: New opportunities for development 
Tuesday, June 2, 2015, 9:00 AM – 2:30 PM

The Brookings Institution
Saul/Zilkha Rooms, 1775 Massachusetts Ave, NW, Washington, DC 20036

RSVP to Attend

On December 17, 2014, President Barack Obama and President Raúl Castro announced that the United States and Cuba would seek to reestablish diplomatic relations. Since then, the two countries have engaged in bilateral negotiations in Havana and Washington, the United States has made several unilateral policy changes to facilitate greater trade and travel between the two countries, and bipartisan legislation has been introduced in the U.S. Congress to lift the travel ban. Meanwhile, conversations are ongoing about ending the 50-plus-year embargo and Cuba has continued the process of updating its economic system, including establishing new rules for foreign investment and the emerging private sector.

In light of the significant shifts underway in the U.S.-Cuba relationship, new questions arise about Cuba's development model, and its economic relations with the region and the world. On Tuesday, June 2, the Latin America Initiative at Brookings will host a series of panel discussions with various experts including economists, lawyers, academics, and practitioners to examine opportunities and challenges facing Cuba in this new context. Panels will examine macroeconomic changes underway in Cuba, how to finance Cuba's growth, the emerging private sector, and themes related to much-needed foreign investment. Throughout the program, the panelists will take questions from the audience.

Join the conversation on Twitter using #CubaGrowth.

9:00 am -- Panel 1: Trends in the Cuban economy in light of the new U.S.-Cuba context
Moderator: Ted Piccone, Senior Fellow, Latin America Initiative, The Brookings Institution
Featured Speaker: Stefan Selig, Undersecretary for International Trade, U.S. Department of Commerce
Juan Triana Cordovi, Professor of Economics, University of Havana
Archibald Ritter, Distinguished Research Professor, Carleton University

10:00 am -- Panel 2: Financing Cuba's growth, development, and trade
Moderator: Barbara Kotschwar, Research Fellow, Peterson Institute for International Economics
Yaima Doimeadios, Professor, University of Havana
Richard Feinberg, Professor, University of California, San Diego; Nonresident Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution
Saira Pons, Professor, Center for the Study of the Cuban Economy, University of Havana
Germán Ríos, Director, Strategic Affairs, CAF Development Bank

11:15 am -- Panel 3: Next steps for Cuba's emerging private sector–Cuentapropistas and cooperatives
Moderator: Richard Feinberg, Professor, University of California, San Diego; Nonresident Senior Fellow, The Brookings Institution
Rafael Betancourt, Consultant, Havanada Consulting
Omar Everleny, Professor, Center for the Study of the Cuban Economy, University of Havana
Ted Henken, Professor, Baruch College
John McIntire, Chairman, Cuba Emprende Foundation

1:00 pm -- Panel 4: A new stage in foreign direct investment
Moderator: Harold Trinkunas, Senior Fellow and Director, Latin America Initiative, The Brookings Institution
Mark Entwistle, Founding Partner, Acasta Capital
José María Vinals Camallonga, Partner and Director, International Operations, Lupicinio International Law Firm
Augusto Maxwell, Partner, Akerman, LLP

2:00 pm -- Closing Remarks
Ted Piccone, Senior Fellow, Latin America Initiative, The Brookings Institution