Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Canel has said Cuba is ready to continue cooperating with Namibia, despite the current complexities caused by the United States of America (USA) sanctions.
Speaking during his official State visit to President Hage Geingob here on Sunday, Diaz-Canel said the current Cuban generation is ready to continue the Cuban revolution, which he said calls for maintaining and further enhancing solidarity with the Namibia government and its citizens.
He explained that despite challenges, the Cuban people are still creating resistance to remove themselves from the situation, noting that the two countries have a strong relationship founded during Namibia's liberation struggle and it is therefore imperative that the bonds be transferred to the new generations.
The USA imposed an embargo on Cuba in 1960, following the Cuban revolution led by Fidel Castro and the nationalisation of properties belonging to US citizens and corporations.
Two years later the measure, which prohibits trade between the two countries among other restrictions, was strengthened causing drastic economic hardships for Cuba.
“Given the importance of our relationship with your country, I want to propose that we elevate the standing of these cooperation for the mutual benefit of our people,” Diaz-Canel said.
At the same event, President Geingob described the blockade by the US as a crime on human rights.
“The problem is that if you are blocking essential services including medical suppliers that could benefit people and innocent children… What is the crime you [Cuba] have committed? What is the crime really that for so many years people cannot as human beings talk? One makes peace with the enemies… Why is there no movement on the crimes of the United States,” Geingob asked.
He further said Namibia condemns the unfair listing of Cuba as a State Sponsor of International Terrorism by the American government, saying Cuba will always be considered by Namibia as a country which promotes international peace and solidarity.
The two countries also signed two Memorandums of Understanding, one involving the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board and Centre of the Promotion of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment of Cuba, and the other an agreement on the transfer of convicted persons, which will allow the social rehabilitation of convicted persons by allowing them to serve their sentences in their country of nationality or citizenship.
Source: The Namibian Press Agency