SADC and Cuba are considering options to focus their cooperation towards support to the achievement of the objectives of the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap. This was agreed during a consultative meeting by the SADC Executive Secretary, H.E. Dr. Stergomena Lawrence Tax, and the Ambassador of theRepublicofCubatoBotswana, H.E. Mr. Juan Carlos Arencibia Corrales, at the SADC House on April 19, 2016.
Dr. Tax welcomed Ambassador Corrales to the SADC Secretariat and commended the Government and people of the Republic of Cubafor the continued cooperation and support to SADC. Ambassador Corrales and Dr. Tax agreed to re-examine the cooperation between Cuba and SADC as enshrined in the Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) concluded between the two parties in June 2004. The current MoU allows cooperation in areas such as Health, Medical Pharmaceutical Industry, Biotechnology, Education, Agriculture, Water Resources, Construction, Mining and Energy, Sport and Physical Planning. Dr Tax informed Mr. Corrales that the SADC Secretariat was keen to put the MoU into operation. The meeting agreed to task the experts from both sides to meet and prepare a draft on how to operationalize the areas of cooperation in the MoU in a manner that adds value to attainment of the objectives of the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap.
Ambassador Corrales cited examples of countries on the African continent and in Latin America where Cuba has increased the level of diplomatic representation and recorded successful implementation of interventions, including on the control of the Ebola outbreak in the West African Region. He also expressed Cuba’s willingness to collaborate with SADC Member States in the fight against Malaria in the SADC region. The two sides will identify concrete initiatives and actions to link Cuba’s health sector achievements and expertise to the implementation of the SADC Industrialisation Strategy and Roadmap, especially in the development of the pharmaceutical sector. Concerted efforts will also be made to accelerate Cuba’s support to the prevention and treatment of Malaria within the context of the Strategy.
