Zimbabwe and Cuba are eager to translate their warm relations into mutually beneficial economic ties, Zimbabwe’s Ambassador to Cuba Paul Chikawa told the Herald.
According to the ambassador, "cordial" bilateral relations trace back to the second half of the 20th century, when Havana assisted Zimbabwe in its fight for liberation against European colonialists.
"Relations between Zimbabwe and Cuba go back beyond 1980 because Cuba was one of those countries that saw it fit to support our liberation struggle so much that we had some of our combatants trained by the Cubans," Chikawa told media.
Despite the physical distance between Cuba and Zimbabwe, the diplomat said a better level of solidarity and outlook "could not be wished for" and described Cuba as a "very good friend" to Harare.
The ambassador noted that the countries are cooperating in the field of pharmaceuticals, specifying that Zimbabwe is planning to work with Cuba to produce vaccines for humans and animals, as "Cubans are very competitive in the area of medicines."
"The Cubans are known to be in possession of a drug which no other country has that effectively deals with malaria and we are also in conversations with them," Chikawa noted. "There are also conversations with regards to a drug which is special for diabetic conditions, they are the only ones which have them."
The ambassador added that the countries are cooperating on medical assistance, with Cuba sending its medical teams to Zimbabwe.
Zimbabwe and Cuba share the experience of implementing their economic development programs under the burden of economic sanctions imposed on them by the West.
Sanctions against Zimbabwe have been in force since 2002 when punitive measures were imposed by the EU and the US, following the land reform initiated by then-head of state Robert Mugabe in 2000, as a result of which almost all white farmers were deprived of their property.
Trade restrictions against Cuba are enforced by the US, which severed diplomatic ties with Havana in 1961 in response to the nationalization of US property on the island, after which it announced a trade and economic embargo