WASHINGTON.— On November 24, a Joint Statement between the Republic of Cuba and the United States of America regarding cooperation in the sphere of environmental protection was signed.
Signing on behalf of the U.S. was David Balton, State Department deputy assistant secretary for Oceans and Fisheries, and for Cuba, José Ramón Cabañas Rodríguez, Cuban ambassador to the United States.
The statement addresses one of the areas of mutual benefit in which the two countries have expressed interest in developing bilateral cooperation. The document makes special reference to the importance of the sustainable management of natural resources and common ecosystems, in particular, marine life; response to the causes and effects of climate change; and disaster risk reduction measures, all vital to reducing the vulnerabilities which affect both nations.
The text denotes both parties willingness to foment exchanges of scientific information, technology and resources, as well as develop joint research projects and promote mutually beneficial cooperation.
This is the second bilateral agreement relating to environmental issues signed between the two governments in recent weeks, after a Memorandum of Understanding on Cooperation for the Conservation and Management of Protected Marine Areas was signed in Havana on November 18. (Cuban Embassy in the United States)
