Flags of Cuba and Belarus

By María Josefina Arce

To bring economic and commercial relations to the same level of excellence as politics, Cuba and Belarus are working with conversations at the highest level and meetings between businessmen and officials from both nations.

The recent celebration in Minsk, the Belarusian capital, of the Eleventh Joint Intergovernmental Commission to explore new areas and avenues of cooperation is part of this path.

During the meeting it was agreed that although progress has been made, there is still numerous potential to continue promoting economic and commercial ties, and materialize greater participation of the Eastern European nation in Cuba's economic development plan.

Hence, more dynamic mechanisms have been coordinated in order to systematize future actions for cooperation and to accelerate the implementation of what has been agreed.

The meeting was highly profitable and showed progress in the objective of strengthening ties, with the signing of agreements in the field of the pharmaceutical and biotechnology industry, the supply of agricultural equipment to the Greater Antilles and the expansion of the compensated trade mechanism. valid between both countries.

Belarus also reiterated its demand that Cuba be excluded from the unilateral United States list of countries supposedly sponsoring terrorism and condemned the economic, commercial and financial blockade.

The Cuban delegation, chaired by Vice Prime Minister Ricardo Cabrisas, developed an intense agenda, which also included meetings with several officials who expressed their willingness to support joint projects between companies from the two states.

From this moment, as Cabrisas pointed out, a path of hard work opens, but there is political will and historical ties of friendship, respect and support between the governments and peoples of both nations.

This is demonstrated by the fluid dialogue between the authorities and the visits made to our territory in 2000, 2006 and 2012 by the Belarusian president Aleksandr Lukashenko and the one made in 2019 to Minsk by his Cuban counterpart, Miguel Díaz Canel.

In April 2022, the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Havana and Minsk was celebrated, which throughout these decades have been united in their purpose to continue working together for the well-being of their citizens.

Belarus has described Cuba as a significant partner in the international arena and an ally in the Western Hemisphere, while the Caribbean nation also attaches great importance to its ties with that country.