Cuba-Russia cooperation relations enter new stage

HAVANA, Cuba, Apr 6 (ACN) The XXII Meeting of the Russian-Cuban Intergovernmental Commission for Economic-Commercial and Scientific-Technical Collaboration closed with the signing of 13 agreements bound to be a milestone in the history of bilateral relations between the two sister nations.

The solemn ceremony, attended by Prime Minister Manuel Marrero Cruz, both governments ratified their willingness to keep working together to achieve new goals for the benefit of their peoples.

The final and most important protocol, signed by Cuba’s Deputy Prime Minister Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz and Russian Vice President Dmitry Nikolaevich Chernyshenko, endorsed the main issues addressed in the meetings of the Commission’s various working groups and the work items defined by both parties as priorities, based on the objectives of their respective socioeconomic plans until 2030.

The documents cover areas such as health and medical education, higher education, land and city planning, cadastral maps and cartography, geodesy, and data and technology, among others, as well as the establishment of a joint laboratory for Artificial Intelligence in technical systems.
In his opening words, Cabrisas Ruiz said that this bilateral meeting was held in a frank and transparent manner, taking into account the difficult situation that the Cuban people are currently going through.

“The obstacles to achieve the goals of the Economic and Social Development Plan until 2030 and the macroeconomic stabilization of the program to correct distortions and boost the economy are clear,” he remarked, “which makes it essential to count on the solidarity and support of strategic partners and allies such as the Russian Federation, its companies and institutions”.

On his end, Mr. Chernyshenko expressed his satisfaction with these regular meetings to promote key issues of the bilateral agenda and referred to some of his country's cooperation projects under way in Cuba in fields like oil drilling and the provision of vehicles, agricultural machinery, and technical products.

“Havana received a state loan which resulted in the delivery of 100,000 tons of Russian oil in February. In addition, a program was proposed to minimize the effects of the energy crisis facing Cuba since last year through an overall review of the island’s capacity to produce power by three Russian companies”, he pointed out.

The meeting in Havana is revealing of the interest to strengthen economic relations and cooperation between Cuba and Russia on the basis of respect, trust and transparency, as befits a historical bond that will reach its 65th anniversary this year.