Cuba and Angola united by unbreakable ties of blood, friendship and brotherhood
First Secretary of the Party Central Committee and President of the Republic of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez considered the talks held at Angola’s Presidential Palace with his counterpart João Gonçalves Lourenço as “very fruitful”.

Author: Yaima Puig Meneses | informacion@granmai.cu

Author: René Tamayo León | internet@granma.cu

august 30, 2023 11:08:36


Angola’s President invited to “think about practical mechanisms which promote exchange between our countries at all levels”.

Photo: Estudios Revolución
Luanda, Angola – First Secretary of the Party Central Committee and President of the Republic of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez considered the talks held at Angola’s Presidential Palace with his counterpart João Gonçalves Lourenço as “very fruitful”.

The dialogue ratified the willingness of both countries to keep strengthening and expanding their ties as Díaz-Canel expressed in a session of Angola’s Ministers Council.

Attesting these historic bonds of brotherhood built for more than 40 years the President conveyed warm greetings to the people of Angola on behalf of Army General Raúl Castro Ruz.

He stressed that Cuba and Angola are united by unbreakable ties of blood, friendship and brotherhood, born of the sad and embarrassing period of slavery -since an important part of our ancestors come from this region – these went on later with the support of our internationalist forces to FAPLA with the aim of consolidating independence and preserving Angola’s national sovereignty.

“Our support to Angola is inspired and held up on those solid bases, and we have maintained it for decades, with a broad civil cooperation which modestly, prides itself of having furthered also Angola’s socioeconomic development in a period of peace”, he recalled.

“For us, this was a long awaited and eagerly anticipated visit, which had to be postponed because of the pandemic in 2020. It takes place in the midst of important commemorations for the Angolan people, such as a new anniversary of the proclamation of independence and the historic battle of Kangamba, a military landmark in the country’s war of liberation. He said.

Photo: Estudios Revolución
This visit also pays homage to the FAPLA’s combatants and the Army Revolutionary Forces which were involved in the struggle for the independence of Angola, those who died or were wounded in the battlefields.

The Cuban President talked about the singular relationship between Dr Agostinho Neto and Fidel, since these are the very foundations of the close friendship that today guide the unbreakable relations of friendship, solidarity and brotherhood existing between our peoples and between our countries.

It is the will of both sides, he assured, to continue “widening and consolidating our relations in areas of mutual interest”. He considered the new generations of leaders in the two countries, that following the natural processes of history have taken on the top positions in the Party and Government, “also representing a continuity of the legacy of our historic leaders who were the builders of the friendship we have today.”

Díaz-Canel showed his confidence that “we can jointly profit effectively and in the best way from the existing potential to increase the level of the economic, commercial and financial relations in the areas of cooperation, investment and foreign trade, promoting them to the level of the excellent and historic political relations that we have.”

Angola is the African country where we have the most varied cooperation, and there are potentials, to expand them, in other areas like renewable energy sources and biotechnology.

He thanked the support received in the fight against the blockade imposed by the United States, which has come not only from Angola, but also from the African Union and other multilateral forums, in which the African countries have demanded the end of these unjust measures of persecution and harassment which also affect third parties, given its extraterritorial component.

“I want to reaffirm before you Cuba’s unwavering will to continue consolidating a respectful and friendful relationship with the people and government of Angola, whose solidarity has been also beneficial for us in hard moments, especially in the last few years.”

“My new visit to Luanda, first as a Head of State, gives continuity to the systematic exchange of high-level visits which take place between the two countries, and contribute to consolidate our bilateral ties, which date back to 1975, and are characterized by the legacy of friendship between our historic leaders, Dr Agostinho Neto and Commander in Chief Fidel Castro Ruz.”

Both presidents ratified the willingness and interests to “increase the economic, commercial and of investment relations, despite the great geographic distance, considering the business relations of great value, which should keep developing, including the ties between Mariel Special Development Zone and the Luanda-Bengo Special Economic Zone”, he said.

CUBA, A BROTHER COUNTRY

“Angola greatly appraises the relations with Cuba, a brother country with which we expect to deepen and consolidate our ties of friendship and economic cooperation. We believe that this visit to Angola is an important step for the materialization of this goal”. This was expressed by President João Gonçalves Lourenço, who recalled how in the hardest moments of Angola’s history, Cuba took in the training of youth, many today holding great responsibilities of the country.

He highlighted the role performed by the Cuban Health Professionals, who during a considerable period guaranteed the work of our hospitals at all the levels of care, and in the whole national territory, while ours were trained in Angola, in Cuba, and in European countries.

“We are satisfied with this great result of our bilateral cooperation”, Lourenço stressed, and affirmed that the ties should live on, “granting them a new paradigm, and focusing on the specialized high-level exchange in critical areas of knowledge, for which we count once more with your selfless cooperation and solidarity.”

“It is indispensable to think in practical mechanisms which enable the exchange between our countries at all levels, free trade, complementarity in the use of available resources, the transfer of technical and scientific knowledge, and the priority in terms of implementation of industrialization projects in our countries, with basis on the sustainable use of raw material and of other resources we have in store.”

“Angola defends the end of the economic blockade your country has been subjected to decades ago”, he said.

SIGNATURE OF BILATERAL AGREEMENTS

The two leaders witnessed the signature of three bilateral agreements which contribute to the strengthening of cooperation between the two countries.

Memorandum of Understanding between the Center for the State Control of Medicines, Equipment and Medical Devices (CECMED) of the Republic of Cuba and the Health Technology and Medicine Regulating Agency (ARMED) of the Republic of Angola, to develop a cooperation relation in the field of pharmaceutical regulation and rules.

Memorandum of Understanding to promote investment between the Office of Mariel Special Development Zone, of the Republic of Cuba, and the Development Society of the Luanda-Bengo E.P Special Economic Zone of the Republic of Angola, with the aim of establishing a beneficial exchange, in both operating elements and cooperation for the establishment of investment.

In statements to the press Lourenço said that “to talk about the relations between our two countries is to talk about relations of brotherhood between two peoples that love each other a lot, and that in difficult moments, in which any of them can be the other come to help. Cuba has an important place in our countries’ life.”

The level of cooperation between Cuba and Angola, he admitted, is below what our people demand. “Hence we are willing to work towards placing the level of economic cooperation, at the level of the friendly relations between our two peoples.”

He assured that he will respond to the invitation of President Díaz-Canel to repay an official visit to Cuba, and to take part in the upcoming summit G77 plus China to be held in Havana.

Díaz-Canel considered that the talks held “are a landmark in our relations, and also at present, for all we can do jointly. We are willing to maintain, continue and expand cooperation, collaboration, friendship and solidarity with the Republic of Angola.”