Cuba and Gabon strengthen ties

Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and President of the Republic of Cuba, officially received His Excellency Mr. Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, President of the Gabonese Republic in Havana. After a fraternal meeting both governments signed several cooperation agreements.

Images via Estudios Revolución

By René Tamayo León, translated from the Spanish

"Your visit represents a significant milestone in our historic relations," stated Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and President of the Republic, during the official reception for His Excellency Mr. Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, President of the Gabonese Republic.

Following the honors appropriate to his high rank and the greetings of both official delegations, the leaders proceeded to conduct official talks at the Palace of the Revolution at noon this Saturday.

Subsequently, they presided over the signing ceremony of three bilateral agreements, symbolizing the close comradeship and historical connections between the two nations.

In the official discussions, Díaz-Canel emphasized the importance of Nguema's visit, referring to him as a brother.

He noted that his visit continued the long-standing ties, which have lasted for over half a century, and also serves as a symbol of the relationship between Cuba and Africa.

"We are deeply proud that African blood runs through our veins," the Cuban President said emphasizing the crucial role of this African heritage in shaping the Cuban nation.

He added that these roots were established by those men and women, those leaders who were uprooted from their homeland and also became leaders in our battles.

Díaz-Canel mentioned that the visit of the Gabonese President continues the engagement from his September 2023 trip to Havana, where he led his nation's delegation at the Summit of Heads of State and Government of the Group of 77 and China. During this summit, Nguema delivered a speech showcasing the vision of the Gabonese Republic to the world.

The Cuban president highlighted the recent speech by President Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema at the United Nations. He noted that he delivered forceful remarks concerning Cuba, opposing the blockade and the inclusion of the country on the U.S. list of nations allegedly sponsoring terrorism.. "A gesture," Díaz-Canel emphasized, "that we will always be grateful for."

The President of the Gabonese Republic asked his counterpart to express "deep gratitude" to the Cuban authorities and people for the warm reception he and his delegation have received since arriving in Havana. The African leader remarked to Díaz-Canel, "We are more than counterparts; we are brothers."

He noted that his visit was aimed "at complementing the cooperation and ties that have united our countries for many years."

"It is a visit," he emphasized, "to strengthen all our connections."

"Cuba," he added, "is among the partners with whom we wish to strengthen cooperation in the most diverse fields, such as health, tourism, sports and other areas."

In the dialogue, the island leader conveyed Cuba's complete support for the people of Gabon, the Gabonese Republic, and its government, and emphasized "the political will, readiness, and determination to keep expanding our collaboration."

He emphasized the agreements that would later be signed between the two governments, noting that these would enable progress and highlight the responsibility of both parties to enhance bilateral cooperation.

Díaz-Canel emphasized the significant potential of this partnership, not only in established fields like health, education, and culture but also in areas like biotechnology, oil, tourism, and mining.

He showed interest in encouraging Gabonese companies to invest on the island. He stated that they are open to any type of interest and business projects that offer mutual benefits.

The Cuban Head of State also emphasized the inaugural academic and cultural conferences that took place last January in Libreville, the capital of Gabon, which aimed to celebrate cultural roots and will soon have a second edition in Havana. "These are events that we have to encourage and that should take place regularly," Díaz-Canel said.

The official delegation of the Gabonese Republic was also made up of Mr. François Ndong Obiang, Minister of Reform and Relations with Institutions; Mr. Arthur Lemami, Director of the President's Cabinet, and Mr. Faustin Nguiend Mickolo, Ambassador to Cuba.

On the Cuban side, Dr. José Angel Portal Miranda, Minister of Public Health, and Gerardo Peñalver Portal, Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, among other directors of the Foreign Ministry, attended.

CUBA AND GABON STRENGTHEN TIES

In the Sol de América Hall of the Palace of the Revolution, Presidents Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez and Brice Clotaire Oligui Nguema, presided over the protocol ceremony where the governments of both countries signed three bilateral agreements. The signatures were overseen by Gerardo Peñalver Portal, the interim minister of Minrex, and François Ndong Obiang, the Gabonese minister of Reform and Relations with Institutions.

First, a Framework Cooperation Agreement was signed in order to develop and implement cooperation programs and projects between the public and private sectors of the two nations.

An Agreement on the Enforcement of Criminal Sentences was also approved to enhance coordination in legal assistance for the transfer of sanctioned citizens between the countries.

A Memorandum of Understanding was also formalized between Cuba's Ministry of Agriculture and the Ministry of Agriculture, Food and Security and Valorization of Rurality of the Gabonese Republic, presenting an opportunity to advance cooperation initiatives in the agriculture and livestock sectors.

This work was translated via a License CC-BY-NC