Cuba expresses willingness to expand cooperation with Angola

Havana, Jan 30 (RHC) The Cuban ambassador to Angola, Oscar León, expressed his country's willingness to expand bilateral cooperation in various fields, in particular biotechnology and literacy.

León highlighted to Jornal de Angola that the Caribbean nation has a biotechnology industry with more than 30 years of experience, fundamental in the development of vaccines to combat Covid-19, in addition to producing other drugs to combat diseases such as lung cancer.

“We offer Angola the possibility of cooperating in the field of biotechnology and drug production, including technology transfer”, said León, adding that the island can become an advanced center in this field in Africa.

He stressed that although until now, health and education are the main areas of exchange, it is possible to increase ties, especially with regard to literacy, for which Cuba has the teaching method Yes I Can, endorsed by the UNESCO.

The ambassador recalled that this program was previously used successfully in several countries and even in some Angolan territories, so Cuba is very interested in working on it again.

He also commented on the presence in Angola of Cuban health collaborators, not only in healthcare activities, but also with priority in the training of human resources.

Construction, and the supply of water and energy are other sectors of joint work currently, to which are added three agreements signed in August during the visit of the Cuban president Miguel Díaz-Canel, referring to tourism, medicines and investments in the Special Economic Zone.

León reiterated that the Caribbean nation has the will to expand these ties to other areas, to be identified by both countries, with a view to obtaining mutual benefits. In this sense, he highlighted the holding of the 16th Session of the Intergovernmental Commission between Cuba and Angola, which will be held this year in Luanda.

According to the diplomat, in 47 years of cooperation with Angola, Cuban doctors have carried out 48 million 117 thousand 510 consultations in the country, 1 million 118 thousand surgical interventions and 53 thousand 39 citizens have recovered their sight. (Source: PL)