Havana, January 8 (RHC)-- Germany's Vice Chancellor and Minister of Economy and Energy, Sigmar Gabriel, concluded Friday an official visit to Cuba, during which he was received by First Vice President Miguel Díaz-Canel.

During the meeting, the two leaders confirmed both governments' commitment to continue working on strengthening bilateral relations, and increasing economic-commercial, cultural, scientific and educational ties.

In his first activity on the island, the German official presided over a business forum between German and Cuban entrepreneurs, during which he signed with Cuban Foreign Trade and Investment Minister Rodrigo Malmierca a memorandum of understanding to open a German Trade and Business Promotion Office in the Cuban capital.

Other activities of the German vice chancellor in Cuba included talks with Ministers for Foreign Affairs Bruno Rodríguez, Economy and Planning Marino Murillo, Energy and Mining Alfredo López and Industry, Salvador Pardo Cruz.

Sigmar Gabriel and his delegation, made up of 60 executives representing some of best known German trademarks, also visited the Special Development Zone at Mariel.

Some 50 German companies are currently doing business with Cuba and in 2014, bilateral trade exchange surpassed 200 million dollars.