The 6th Cuban Communist Party Congress opened in Havana on Saturday to chart the new social and economic course for the country.
The three-day Congress, viewed by many experts as a crucial one for the Cuban further development, was opened by President Raul Castro and involves 1,000 delegates from all over the country.
Late last year Castro said that 2011 marks the beginning of a five-year period included in the mid-term plan of the country's economic development.
Starting this year Cuba plans to expand the private sector and reduce the role of the state in the economy by cutting government-paid jobs by 500,000 and allowing more people to work for themselves.
The Cuban government hopes to achieve 3.1% economic growth in 2011, up from 2.1% last year, following an extended recession caused by the global economic crisis.
Cuba held its previous Communist Party Congress 14 years ago, while the first one was held in 1975.
HAVANA, April 17 (RIA Novosti)
