Caracas, August 4 (RHC)-- Venezuelan President Nicolas Maduro received this Thursday at the Miraflores Palace a delegation of the Republic of Congo that is on an official visit to the nation.  The meeting was held in the framework of the installation of the First Joint Commission between Caracas and Brazzaville, which took place in the Venezuelan capital.

According to local media, the reunion seeks to reach agreements in different strategic areas such as culture, tourism and agriculture, to strengthen bilateral cooperation.

The Congolese delegation is headed by the Minister of International Cooperation and Promotion of Public-Private Partnership, Denis Christel Sassou Nguesso, the Minister of Cultural Industry, Tourism, Arts and Recreation, Lydie Pongault, and the Minister of Forestry Economy, Rosalie Matondo.

Also in attendance were the ambassador of the Republic of Congo to Venezuela, Sylvain Goma, and the ambassador, head of the Department of Development Cooperation at the Ministry of International Cooperation and Promotion of Public-Private Partnership, Simeon Ewongo.

Representing the Venezuelan side were the sectoral Vice-President for Planning, Ricardo Menéndez, and the Ministers of Petroleum, Pedro Tellechea, of Ecological Mining Development, William Serantes Pinto, and of Industries and National Production, Hipólito Abreu.

Also present were the head of the Transportation Office, Ramón Velásquez Araguayán and the Vice-Minister for Africa, Yuri Pimentel, as well as the Venezuelan Ambassador to the Republic of Congo, Aníbal Márquez.