Domestic, economic and geopolitical factors, both in the United States and abroad, are shaping 2018 to be a critical year for U.S.-Cuba bilateral relations. With Cuban President Raul Castro expected to step down in April; the rise of foreign influence on the country; and the continued opportunities for U.S. businesses, despite new regulations by the Trump administration, this is the time, Akin Gump Strauss Hauer & Feld LLP senior policy advisor Anya Landau French says, for the United States to have "diplomatic and business contacts, knowledge and influence on an island nation 90 miles away."

In her recent op-ed pieces in U.S. News & World Report, "The Havana Turning Point" and The Hill, "Despite policy changes, many opportunities remain for U.S. businesses in Cuba," Ms. Landau French discusses these factors and continuing engagement by the United States with Cuba in light of important developments to occur in Cuba this spring, as well as issues that U.S. businesses with an interest in Cuba should consider in their planning and strategy.

For the U.S. News & World Report op-ed, please click here.

For The Hill op-ed, please click here.

The content of this article is intended to provide a general guide to the subject matter. Specialist advice should be sought about your specific circumstances.