The President of the Republic of Namibia, Nangolo Mbumba, will undertake a state visit to the Republic of Cuba at the invitation of President Miguel Diaz-Canel Bermudez.
According to a press statement issued by Press Secretary Alfredo Hengari of the Namibian Presidency on Friday, President Mbumba departs for Cuba on Saturday and is set to return to Namibia on Wednesday, December 18.
During the visit, President Mbumba will engage in bilateral meetings with his counterpart President Bermudez, with the objective of scaling up bilateral cooperation.
“The state visit aims to explore opportunities for strengthening economic cooperation, enhancing South-South cooperation and fostering greater business and economic ties between the two nations,” said Alfredo Tjiurimo Hengari, the presidential press secretary.
He added that Namibia and Cuba share a long-standing bond of friendship and solidarity that dates back to Namibia’s struggle for independence and self-determination.
“The Government of Cuba, under the leadership of Comandante Fidel Castro Ruz, extended vital support to Swapo by providing military equipment and training PLAN fighters during the liberation struggle,” Hengari stated.
Following Namibia’s independence, the two countries established diplomatic relations, and Cuba continues to support Namibia in various sectors including sending medical doctors and nurses to assist the Namibian health sector and providing qualified teachers to bolster the education system.
“Today, Namibia and Cuba maintain excellent bilateral cooperation and have signed several memoranda of understanding (MoU), and notably three were signed during the state visit of President Bermudez to Namibia in August 2023,” Hengari added.
These are the MoUs between the Namibia Investment Promotion and Development Board (NIPDB) and the Centre for the Promotion of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment of Cuba (PROCUBA): the MoU on Political and Diplomatic Consultations and the Agreement on the Transfer of Convicted Persons between the two countries. Hengari noted the two nations currently cooperate across various sectors, including health and education, defense and security, construction, works and transport, tourism and environmental management, as well as fisheries and marine resources.