Cuba has observer status, of the Eurasian Economic Union, since December 2020. (Photo:@MMarreroCruz)

By Maria Josefina Arce
 
Russia, Belarus, Kazakhstan, Armenia and Kyrgyzstan make up the Eurasian Economic Union, countries with which Cuba maintains historic ties of friendship and with which it aspires to expand and diversify cooperation.
  
It is worth noting that Cuba is the only Latin American country that holds the status of observer state of this integrationist bloc, which opens the way for greater collaboration for the benefit of the peoples of these nations.
  
This was reaffirmed by Cuban President Miguel Díaz Canel, who in his virtual intervention at the meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council last May, stressed that there are possibilities for increased exchange in areas such as food and energy security, investment for technological and industrial development and training of human resources, among many others.
  
Since Cuba was granted observer status in December 2020, it has actively participated, albeit virtually because of the COVID 19 pandemic, in the high-level events of that mechanism, created in 2014.
  
Now, for the first time in person, a Cuban delegation, headed by Prime Minister Manuel Marrero, attended the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council, one of the Union's bodies, in the Russian city of Sochi.
  
This was undoubtedly a new opportunity to reiterate Havana's interest in strengthening its insertion in the bloc, seeking other avenues of cooperation and developing various joint projects.
  
Our country's participation in the Eurasia-Our Home International Exhibition, held in parallel to the Sochi meeting, has also been a valid option on this path. Cuba was present in different panels on tourism, health and industry.
  
In fact, three agreements were signed in Sochi between the BioCubaFarma business group and Russian and Belarusian companies, which will enable Cuban biotechnology products to access the market of nations of the Eurasian Economic Union.
  
Already in December 2021, the Second Joint Commission with the Eurasian Economic Commission was held in the Cuban capital and the Joint Collaboration Plan was signed until 2025, which includes actions to carry out projects in the economic-commercial, banking, financial, health and biotechnology areas, among others.
  
The Seminar "Cuba and the Eurasian Economic Union cooperation in the context of the restructuring of the world economy" was also held, which was attended by national organizations, institutions and entities.