HANOI.— "Because of the way we have worked, because of the seriousness and commitment of both parties, because we know the value and heroism of our Vietnamese brothers and sisters, and because we know the capacity and commitment of our colleagues at Biocubafarma, we are confident that we can achieve great success with Genfarma."
This was stated by the First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, who, together with Vietnam's Minister of Health, Dao Hong Lan, inaugurated a high-tech plant for the production of medicines by the joint venture Genfarma on Sunday afternoon.
"We hope that Genfarma," said the Head of State, "will become a milestone in the Cuban and Vietnamese biopharmaceutical industry, between two countries that defend socialism, that have mutual trust, and between two countries whose peoples have never given up."
For all these reasons, Díaz-Canel said, "with Genfarma we are also going to succeed, and we are going to show the world that other connections can be created where science contributes from a humanistic, supportive perspective, but we are also going to achieve this with industrial efficiency and a great deal of innovation."
Genfarma, with its world-class production plant, is located in the Hoa Lac High-Tech Park, west of Hanoi, considered a platform destined to become a national innovation center, attracting high-tech, research, and development companies.
Participating in the inauguration on the Cuban side were members of the Political Bureau of the Party's Central Committee, Army Corps General Álvaro López Miera, Hero of the Republic, Minister of the FAR; and Bruno Rodríguez Parrilla, head of the Minrex.
Also in attendance were Emilio Lozada García, head of the Central Committee's Department of International Relations; Ministers Oscar Pérez-Oliva Fraga, Minister of Foreign Trade, and Ydael Pérez Brito, Minister of Agriculture, and Mayda Mauri Pérez, President of the Biocubafarma Group, among other members of the official Cuban delegation participating in the commemorations of the 80th anniversary of Vietnam's independence and the 65th anniversary of the formalization of bilateral relations.
Health Minister Dao Hong Lan congratulated the Vietnamese and Cubans on the consolidation of Genfarma, a message she said she had received from the country's highest leadership. This is a very special moment, the leader said, and it comes at a special time.
"We greatly value the presence and establishment of Genfarma, and we feel fortunate for its implementation and the path it opens for the production of biopharmaceuticals" in a context, she said, where the Political Bureau of the CPV is focusing on the production of medicines and the development of international cooperation for the manufacture of biological and pharmaceutical products as a sector of national development.
She explained that since July 1st of this year, Vietnam has opened up a broad legal framework for this objective and that the government has issued many legal provisions to this end.
"This project," reaffirmed the Vietnamese Minister of Health, "receives the highest level of attention and interest from the main leaders of our countries, which is why we now have this result, that in less than a year we already have the company established."
The health minister conveyed her commitment to continue supporting the initiative and seeing the results of the project, and expressed her firm confidence in its success. "The solidarity and cooperation between Cuba and Vietnam began in the most difficult times, and now, in peace, we must work for the benefit of both peoples," she said.
The First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, who took an extensive tour of the plant's facilities, shared his conviction that Genfarma will be successful.
He conveyed his "deep gratitude" to the leadership of the Vietnamese Party, State, and Government, which he said had always shown great interest and attention to this project, based on the consensus reached with Comrade To Lam, General Secretary of the Communist Party of Vietnam.
This, he said, is a living symbol of the close relationship between Cuba and Vietnam; a project that reaffirms the mutual aspirations of our parties, governments, and peoples.
It is an expression, he added, of the four pillars of development declared by To Lam, including the goal of promoting the biopharmaceutical industry as one of the engines of the economy.
"It is exciting that in just a few months, the aspiration, the dream, everything we discussed with To Lam, is now a reality," said the President, referring to the fact that Genfarma is the result of the consensus reached by both leaders in September 2024, a year ago, during the Secretary General's visit to Havana.
"This," he emphasized, "is the fastest joint venture we have ever achieved." It is proof, he said, of the dedication, passion, and commitment that the Cuban and Vietnamese institutions involved in its creation have brought to this process.
"We have already surpassed the dream of creating Genfarma; it is now a reality. Now," added Díaz-Canel, "we dream of all the possibilities, of what we will achieve in the future with the unity of our research, scientific, and productive capabilities.
Genfarma, the president continued, will allow us to share research, transfer technologies, develop innovative projects, meet the medication needs of the Vietnamese and Cuban peoples, and position Cuban medications in the Asian market, such as ASEAN.
A DAY OF TRIBUTES
In his first activity on Vietnamese soil, the President laid a wreath on behalf of the Cuban people at the monument erected in honor of National Hero José Martí in the city of Hanoi, a must-see for Cubans who come here.
Together with the delegation accompanying him on his official visit to Vietnam and members of the Cuban embassy, the president brought white flowers in tribute to the Apostle, who symbolizes the historical ties between Cubans and Vietnamese.
During his first hours in Hanoi, the President also visited the National Museum of Military History, an impressive and modern venue where more than 150,000 artifacts from the periods of defense and construction of the Vietnamese nation are on display.
A monument was recently inaugurated near the museum in tribute to the Cuban combatants who collaborated with the Vietnamese army and people during the Vietnam War of resistance.
The Head of State also attended the ceremony to pay a well-deserved tribute, together with Deputy Minister of Defense Nguyen Truong Thang.
The site honors the Cuban volunteers who shared their experiences, joined Vietnamese military units, and participated in combat actions, all of which contributed to enriching the strategic defense concept of the War of the Whole People.
