Cuba takes steps to boost economy

Описание: The Cuban authorities have been opening up the country's economy for the past few years.

And a special session of the Cuban parliament will create a development zone in the port city of Mariel, west of Havana, partly financed by Brazil.

Foreign investors will pay less of their profits to the Cuban government while working with greater security, guarantees and flexibility.

The move was partly fuelled by fears that cheap oil from the country's troubled ally, Venezuela, might dry up.

But foreign companies have been deterred by the more than 50-year US embargo against the island and will want the Cuban authorities to tackle problems like poor internet service, a suffocating bureaucracy and inefficiency.

Al Jazeera's Daniel Schweimler reports from Havana.