Havana, February 2 (RHC)-- Speech by the Prime Minister of the Republic of Cuba, Manuel Marrero Cruz, at the meeting of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council, held in Almaty, Republic of Kazakhstan, on February 1 and 2, 2024.

His Excellency Mr. Nikol Pashinian, Prime Minister of the Republic of Armenia;

Your Excellency Alijan Smaiylof, Prime Minister of the Republic of Kazakhstan;

Your Excellencies, Heads of Government and Heads of Delegations:

Distinguished guests:

From Cuba, I extend my cordial greetings to the Kazakh people and Government, who are hosting this session of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council, and I thank you for inviting me to participate in this meeting.

I would like to begin by acknowledging the work carried out by the Russian Federation in 2023 at the head of this organization, and I extend our congratulations to the Republic of Armenia, which assumed the presidency of the Eurasian Economic Union as of January 1, 2010. In the year that marks the tenth anniversary of the signing of the Treaty of the Union, it represents an enormous responsibility to assume this role.

Cuba, as an observer state of the Union, continues to promote a closer and more diverse exchange with its member and observer states. An irrefutable proof of this was the holding of the Third Session of the Joint Commission between Cuba and the Eurasian Economic Commission, in the recently concluded month of January.I take this opportunity to thank Mr. Serguei Glaziev, member of the College and Minister of Integration and Macroeconomics, who was accompanied by a large delegation, including representatives of companies of the member countries of the Union, who completed an extensive program of exchanges in various sectors of mutual interest.Both sides agreed that the conditions are in place to move towards a qualitatively superior phase of our relations. We also emphasized the need to boost ties with the countries of the region at the business level, in accordance with their respective development plans and strategic guidelines

The Protocol of the third meeting of the Joint Commission reflects the shared will to promote further expansion of economic and trade relations, and to deepen the current development of economic integration and cooperation between the Eurasian Economic Union and Cuba, in the field of the circulation of medicines and medical devices, agro-industry and business activities, among other relevant issues.

Dear colleagues:Throughout these years, we have noted the growing interest of the parties in carrying out concrete actions to promote the potentialities involved in our economic, trade and cooperation relations.In the context of the Joint Commission, Cuba presented some interests that we intend to promote with the Eurasian Economic Union and its member and observer states.Projects were presented for the production of medicines and biotechnological development in the Eurasian region; projects linked to the sugar agro-industry and a project related to the transformation of the meat and dairy complex, among others.Jointly, we have identified the need to deepen interbank links, as a previous step for relations. In that sense, a mission of the Cuban banking system is being organized to exchange with the banks of the member countries and observers of the Union. We are grateful for the support of the Commission in order to materialize these meetings.

Likewise, Cuba welcomes the possibilities opened up for educational cooperation by the network of universities of the Eurasian Economic Union, an initiative that will contribute to strengthening cultural and educational ties. Likewise, we have been able to exchange on the opportunities offered by the new supranational mechanism of financial assistance to industrial cooperation in the Eurasian Economic Union.

Your Excellencies:On behalf of the Government, the Cuban people and on my own behalf, I convey my gratitude for the invitation to Cuba to participate in the Eurasian Fair and the St. Petersburg International Economic Forum, spaces that will contribute to strengthen inter-business ties, concretize interests and diversify our links.

I reaffirm Cuba's commitment to comply with the decisions and agreements approved at this session of the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council, in pursuit of expanding our economic, commercial, financial and cooperation ties, with the conviction that united we will be stronger.To Victory Forever!

Thank you very much.

(Source: Cuban Presidency)