Cuba and Namibia work to consolidate their friendship and collaboration

On Tuesday afternoon, at the Palace of the Revolution, the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, welcomed Her Excellency Mrs. Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, Minister of International Relations and Trade of the Republic of Namibia.

Images via Estudios Revolución

By Alina Perera Robbio, translated from the Spanish

"Welcome to Cuba," said Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party and President of the Republic, on Tuesday afternoon at the Palace of the Revolution, as he greeted Selma Ashipala-Musavyi, the Minister of International Relations and Trade of the Republic of Namibia.

In the protocol room, when the dignitary inquired about the well-being of the friend and the members of the high-level delegation visiting the island, she promptly and emphatically responded, "Excellently." This marked the start of a conversation where the Head of State expressed, "It is a pleasure for us to have you visiting our country."

Díaz-Canel noted that Selma Ashipala-Musavyi's visit is "fulfilling an old desire" of Namibia's former President, the Honorable Dr. Hage Geingob, who aimed to establish the Intergovernmental Commission between the two countries.

Concerning this significant tool, the president appreciated it as "a mechanism that we establish only with sister nations, like yours." He highlighted that "this visit holds multiple meanings for us: one being the continuation of our relations, our historical ties, honored by the friendship between the founding father of the Republic of Namibia and Commander in Chief Fidel Castro, which have continued throughout the years."

The Cuban president highlighted the strong bonds between Cuba and Namibia, describing them as "endearing" and "unique." He emphasized that these ties are characterized by "affection, respect, solidarity, mutual admiration." He noted that this affection is the same as "we have experienced, and find unforgettable, during our visits to your country."

Concerning the development of the Intergovernmental Commission, the Head of State mentioned that it "will be a significant milestone in enhancing and expanding our relations, which already are excellent at the political level and are also progressing in the economic, commercial, and cooperation areas."

Díaz-Canel Bermúdez wished to use the friendly meeting as an opportunity to send a warm greeting and a heartfelt embrace to Netumbo Nandi-Ndaitwah, the first female president of the Republic of Namibia, elected in November 2024. He wanted her to know that "we are looking forward to her visit to Cuba when her schedule allows, and she will always be warmly welcomed."

He also wanted to send a warm greeting to Sophia Shaningwa, Secretary General of SWAPO (Organization of the People of South-West Africa). In front of the friends attending the meeting, he expressed his deep gratitude for "all the support they have given us in the fight against the blockade," and in denouncing the unfair listing of the island among countries allegedly supporting terrorism.

The Cuban President confirmed that "we are eager to further expand our collaboration in all the areas discussed in this Intergovernmental Commission: health, education, construction and water resources, biotechnology, as well as cultural, educational, and sports exchanges, including hosting Namibian students in Cuba, and in any other sector or field where we can."

For her part, Ashipala-Musavyi, Minister of International Relations and Trade of the Republic of Namibia, thanked the dignitary "for his warm welcome". And she said: "For me it is a pleasure and an honor to be back in this beautiful city of Havana. This is the second time I have visited your country."

She wished to use the opportunity of the exchange to deliver "the warm greetings of her sister, our President" to the Head of State. She stated that, for her country's leadership, the Intergovernmental Commission serves as "a very serious mechanism."

"As you said very rightly," said the minister, "this Meeting is also a continuation of the legacy given to us by our founding fathers Sam Nujoma and Commander Fidel Castro, and even though they are no longer among us, we continue to be educated by the teachings they left us."

Times are difficult, she reflected, "but they also represent an opportunity for the countries of the South to unite and reject what is happening, and to show the world that we have everything we need."

The Intergovernmental Commission, officially established in December 2024, originated from the Agreement signed during the visit to Cuba by the then President of the Republic of Namibia, the Honorable Dr. Hage Geingob. This was a critical move in enhancing mutual relations, similar to the official visit made to the African country by President Díaz-Canel Bermúdez in August 2023. During this visit, a series of agreements were made to bolster economic and commercial connections between the two nations.

Also attending this Tuesday afternoon were the Minister of Foreign Trade and Investment (Mincex), Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga; the acting head of the Foreign Ministry, Gerardo Peñalver Portal; the Minister of Public Health, José Angel Portal Miranda; the Deputy Minister of Mincex, Deborah Rivas Saavedra; and the Director General of Bilateral Affairs at the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Carlos Miguel Pereira Hernández.

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