Malabo, Republic of Equatorial Guinea. -It has been a great pleasure to visit this brotherly country and hold a fraternal meeting with my brother, Prime Minister Manuel Osa Nsue Nsua. We have participated in the signing of agreements to continue consolidating and expanding cooperation between our countries. Cuba has an eternal debt with Africa and, therefore, we will continue to share what we have. Count, dear brothers, on Cuba! To the victory forever!".
The member of the Political Bureau and Prime Minister, Manuel Marrero Cruz wrote in the Book of Honor of the visitors of the Republic of Equatorial Guinea, summarizing the intense day of work he had in the morning with his counterpart of the nation, which included official talks, the participation in the signing of two important agreements, and a bilateral meeting between the delegations of both countries.
Precisely, at the headquarters of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Diaspora -where the meeting took place as part of his official visit-, Marrero Cruz expressed “our gratitude, our commitment to continue strengthening our friendship, brotherhood, between both governments and peoples, our commitment to move on to a second stage of work and to expand exchanges in different economic and social spheres”.
He also spoke of the eternal gratitude of the largest of the Antilles to Equatorial Guinea for all the support they have always given us. “You can also count on Cuba, that small Island, so distant from here, will always be doing the impossible to share what we have with the African peoples, with you”.
On his part, Nsue Nsua said that his country has been and will be by Cuba's side, and condemned the blockade and sanctions that the United States maintains against the Island. He said that this visit “fills us with hope and optimism, and commits us to continue working together so that the bonds of brotherhood that unite us grow stronger every day, and continue to be an example of international cooperation based on principles of respect, equality and fraternity”.
Addressing his Cuban counterpart, he described as “historic” this meeting, which “significantly strengthens the bonds of friendship, cooperation and solidarity that have united our two brotherly countries for several decades”, and recalled that the relationship between Equatorial Guinea and Cuba has always been one of mutual respect and collaboration in various areas, as well as a deep commitment to the welfare of our peoples.
“This important meeting is a clear manifestation and indisputable sign of the political will of our two Heads of State to maintain the close and deep relations that characterize us, to take advantage of the exchange of experiences and good practices for the benefit of their peoples,” he said.
The legal instruments: a framework cooperation agreement and protocol for the implementation of the Binational Working Group, are aimed at matters of interest in commercial, financial and investment areas, with the objective of improving, deepening and strengthening relations between both countries.
Signed by Déborah Rivas Saavedra, Deputy Minister of Foreign Trade and Foreign Investment; and Simeon Oyono Esono Angue, Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Cooperation and Diaspora, the agreements emphasize that collaboration will be promoted through technical assistance, joint studies, training programs, conferences, seminars and meetings.
The initialing of these “broad and fundamental” documents, based on the principles of equality, sovereignty and mutual benefit, took place after a bilateral meeting between the delegations of the two countries, in which the need to diversify cooperation, economic and trade relations in sectors of common interest, such as tourism, was ratified.
WE WILL CONTINUE WORKING WITH CUBA
“As in family, as at home”, said the Cuban Head of Government, as he was received by the Vice President of Equatorial Guinea, with whom he agreed that these are times "to concentrate on materializing the new actions that are emerging from this visit and from the binational working group established. “There will be a follow-up system to measure progress in each of the agreements,” he said.
Obiang Mangue stressed that the largest of the Antilles is a strategic partner of Equatorial Guinea. “Our cooperation is very important and excellent, above all, in the Health sector, in which we have Cuban doctors who support us enormously, and thanks to them we have been able to attend to the population in rural places, difficult places in the capitals, and also in all the Public Health centers.”
“We want to further strengthen this cooperation, Guinea will always be by Cuba's side, we will not stop supporting it, no matter the sanctions coming from any country, we are partners and we will continue working with Cuba”, assured the Vice President of the nation, who added that in all international spaces they will continue condemning the U.S. blockade and “the madness of putting it on a list of States that supposedly sponsor terrorism”.
At the end of both meetings, and in statements to the press, Marrero Cruz described them as “very fruitful”. He sent “a big hug” to the people of Equatorial Guinea, “for the warm welcome they have given us, for so much hospitality and signs of affection”. He recalled that both nations are united by “many historical ties of friendship and cooperation”.
We are grateful to Fidel, the main promoter of these relations; as well as to our collaborators, who today are all over the country, in different schools educating the children of this people, our doctors, who are in the hospitals saving lives.
"They have all earned the respect and admiration of this people, and we will not fail them. Cuba will continue to stand by Equatorial Guinea. We are two countries that will move forward with our heads held high, without submitting to anyone, with our development, our sovereignty and our independence," he assured.
