National Council for Dominican Communities Abroad (Condex) vice president Ramiro Espino and the Immigrants and Emigrants (SEI UGL) Labor Union president Luciano Lagamba signed the agreement in Rome last week.

The International Monetary Fund (IMF) has declared that fears by Caribbean countries that the opening up of United States-Cuba tourism could seriously impact the sector in the region may be misplaced.

Cuba and Portugal have signed a protocol of tourism cooperation that open de Cuban market to Portuguese businessmen interested in investing.

Swiss firm Nestle is close to reaching a deal with Cuba on forming a new joint venture to build a $50 million to $60 million factory to produce coffee, biscuits and cooking products, company Vice President Laurent Freixe said on Wednesday in Havana.

The Ministerio de Hacienda (Ministry of Finance) of Costa Rica exonerated US$226 million dollars (¢128.501 billion colones at the current exchange rate) of the fuel tax on passenger and cargo airlines in the last five years.

Sales of Cuba's legendary cigars rose 5 percent last year to $445 million, defying stagnation in the global luxury goods market, manufacturer Habanos said on Monday at the opening of the Caribbean island's annual cigar festival.