visions of a high tech u.s. -cuban economic relationship kenneth flamm lyndon b. johnson school of...
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Visions of a High Tech U.S. -Cuban Economic
Relationship
Kenneth FlammLyndon B. Johnson School of Public AffairsUniversity of Texas at [email protected]
High Tech Means an Outward Looking Development Strategy
High tech is global markets and an international business model
Key elements High tech/services niches:
• Leverage strength in education/literacy• “Official” biotech strategy can only work if fully
plugged into global trading system, foreign partners/markets
Competition with Asia, Rest of Latin America• E.g., take some of Spanish language software
localization business from Argentina
Cuba Already Participates in Global Open Source Community
www.linux.cu
www.giga.islagrande.cu
Cuban Internet Infrastructure a Critical Issue for Economic Growth
Very poor connections to rest of the Net
Good connections a distant and expensive dream on current trajectory
Tangled history in first years of new century
Cuba Joined the Online World in the 1990s
Year of introduction of international connectivity for e-mail (BITNET/UUCP) and IP networks
MX CL BR NI UY PY VE AR CR
e-mail 86 86 88 88 88 89 90 90 90
IP 89 92 91 94 94 95 92 93 93
CO EC PE BO CU PA GT SV HN
e-mail 90 91 91 91 91 92 92 94 94
IP 94 92 94 95 96 94 95 96 95
Latin American NRENs, ~ 2002
Latin American/European Networking Overtures 2002– EU-funded CAESAR feasibility study of
Latin America-EU network links 2003-2006– CLARA (Cooperación Latino Americana de
Redes Avanzadas, Uruguay-based nonprofit consortium of Latin American NRENs) and EU undertake EU-funded ALICE (America Latina Interconectada Con Europa) networking project Cuba is member of CLARA Links to ALICE 80% subsidized by EU Cuba offered subsidy for proposed connection Existing fiber runs under Caribbean very close to
Havana Cuba declines
Integración a Redes Académicas Internacionales Red CLARA
Central America & Caribean Submarine Cables, ~2003
ArcosPlan Puebla-Panamá in Planning Process
The Current Game Plan
But existing Cuban backbone supports shorter, cheaper, shallower links
Red Nacional de Fibra Óptica
Desarrollo futuro
Stgo de Stgo de CubaCuba
HolguínHolguín
BayamoBayamo
CamagüeyCamagüey
Nueva GeronaNueva Gerona
MatanzasMatanzas
V. ClaraV. Clara
CárdenasCárdenas
ColónColón
Sagua la GrandeSagua la Grande
Puerto PadrePuerto Padre
ManzanilloManzanilloPalma SorianoPalma Soriano
MayariMayari
San CristóbalSan Cristóbal
MoaMoa
SandinoSandino
TrinidadTrinidadNuevitasNuevitas
Pinar del RíoPinar del Río
GuantánamoGuantánamo
Las TunasLas Tunas
C. de AvilaC. de Avila
S.SpíritusS.Spíritus
ArtemisaArtemisaSan JoséSan José
PlacetasPlacetas
FloridaFlorida
VaraderoVaradero
JovellanosJovellanos
CienfuegosCienfuegos
MorónMorón
(~2006)
Cancun, Caymans, Jamaica, Bahamas Turks…and FL… all short and cheap
A lot of investment needed!-Estimated 200-500K individuals with access to Internet in Cuba-Official data on University computers/Net show poor access
US & Cuban Strategic Interests
For US, migration and drug interdiction are primary Economic gains from trade & investment likely
to be relatively small For Cuba, economic gains and security
guarantees primary Rapprochment will require package that
addresses all of above “Looser” political system in Cuba may well
have less ability to deliver US objectives