Pretoria.- On March 16, First Vice President, Miguel Díaz-Canel, reaffirmed Cuba’s unconditional support for the African cause during a visit to South Africa.
This was thesentimentwhich emergedduring talks withthe highestauthorities of this country,Díaz-Canel notedin an interview withPrensa Latina, following a tour ofthe iconicFreedomParkhistoric complexlocated in the country’s capital.
“We reviewed bilateralissues, in the case ofSouth Africa with regard tocollaboration,” the Cuban leader said, adding that, “we have all recalledand relivedthe historyand culturethat unites us.”
Upon his arrival inSouth Africa,Díaz-Canel wasreceived by PresidentJacobZuma, Vice President CyrilRamaphosa, and the Secretary Generalof the South African Communist Party, Blade Nzimande, who is also education minister.
Referring to this first trip to African soil, Díaz-Canel said he was fulfilling a personal debt to visit the continent and within it, “sister nations, fraternal peoples such as that of South Africa.”
The Vice President added, “We have experienced here a part of history, of the identity we received from Africa, but also of the history we have helped to build with South Africa's independence and subsequent collaboration.”
He said his generation grew up accompanied by heroic stories of Cuba’s presence in Africa, which “expressed the conviction of a people to be internationalist.”
Over 2,000 Cubans shed their blood on African soil and the country has trained some 28,000 professionals across the continent, as part of the conviction not to contribute only what Cuba has in excess, he said.
The Vice President also noted that he will take with him the impression of a people which loves Cuba, “and one leaves very committed.” The country’s leaders also have strong communication skills and understanding of our realities, he emphasized.
During this tour of Africa, the Cuban First Vice President will also visit the People's Republic of Angola and attend the inauguration of President-elect, Hage G. Geingob, in the Republic of Namibia.
”These three African countries are very dear,” Díaz -Canel stated while noting that the last leg of his trip will take him to the Republic of India.
Díaz-Canel is accompanied by Gerardo Peñalver, Foreign Ministry general director for Bilateral Affairs, and Ángel Villa, director for Sub Saharan Africa.
