Díaz-Canel arrives in Angola, first stop of his visit to African countries (Photo:@PresidenciaCuba)

By Roberto Morejón

The visit of Cuban President Miguel Díaz Canel to African countries and his participation in the summit of the BRICS group of emerging economies is part of the close ties between Cuba and the continent and the rest of the global South.

The president began his trip in Angola, where Cubans rendered days of heroism during their internationalist mission, at Luanda's request, in defense of the sovereignty of the homeland of leader Agostinho Neto.  

Currently, more than two thousand health collaborators are rendering professional services in the African nation, although they have also worked in education, defense, energy, industry, internal order, human resources and construction.

The Cuban head of state will also be present in Mozambique and Namibia, which have a long tradition of struggle supported by the Antilleans.

Havana's political relations with its African counterparts are relevant because Cubans appreciate the contribution of that continent to the forge of nationality.

This is an important factor that explains the contribution of more than 300 thousand natives of the Caribbean archipelago to the struggle for independence and against apartheid in white minority South Africa.

The land of José Martí maintains relations with all African countries and has embassies in 36 of them.

In Africa they know the friendship and brotherhood of Cubans. Remember the phrase of South African leader Nelson Mandela: "The Cuban people occupy a special place in the hearts of the peoples of Africa".

Díaz-Canel will travel to South Africa because Cuba was invited along with 66 countries to take part in the fifteenth Summit of the BRICS, a group of emerging economies.The meeting will be held under the theme BRICS and Africa: partnership for mutually accelerated growth, sustainable development and inclusive multilateralism".

Cuba views with sympathy the orientation of the BRICS in a world where the West is trying to prolong its hegemony, despite its increasingly multipolar character.The group is expected to address reducing its dependence on the dollar, a stance supported by the New Development Bank, established by the BRICS in 2015.Likewise, Cuba will be in South Africa before the BRICS in its capacity as chair of the Group of 77 plus China, hence it will seek greater coordination between the two mechanisms to defend the aspirations of the global South.