November 14, Angola and Cuba celebrated the 40th anniversary of their diplomatic relations, recalling the two countries’ history of solidarity and reiterating the commitment to strengthening and broadening ties.
Oscar Oramas, Cuba’s first ambassador to Luanda, spoke with Prensa Latina on the occasion, saying, “The tenacity of Comandante en Jefe Fidel Castro and President Agostinho Neto not only led to the declaration of national independence, but to the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two countries four days later.”
He recalled Fidel’s visionary capacity and Neto’s determination during those difficult times, when Angola’s nascent emancipation faced both internal threats and those from abroad, challenging the legitimacy of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA).
In a recent lecture presented to the African League, Orasmas recalled that it was in this context that Neto and the MPLA leadership requested support from Cuba, and the first Cuban military instructors arrived in 1975.
Today, more than 4,000 Cubans in a variety of fields are collaborating in Angola, including 1,800 doctors and 1,400 teachers.
