Official sources confirmed that the Cuban delegation is headed by Juan Antonio Quintanilla, director general of Multilateral Affairs at the Foreign Ministry (MINREX), and Pelayo Castro, Deputy Director General for the Americas of the European External Action Service (EEAS).
The meeting will continue the engagement between the bloc of 27 member states and the Caribbean nation, based on a mechanism whose previous Joint Committee meeting was held in December 2022, during which the parties discussed progress in the implementation of the agreement signed almost nine years ago.
The exchange of views is expected to allow the analysis of cooperation opportunities within the EU’s Global Gateway initiative, in sectors ranging from agriculture and the fighting climate change to renewable energies and culture.
The EU represents for Cuba a significant commercial partner and the leading foreign investor, highlighting in areas such as tourism, construction, and industry.
The Cuban diplomats told Prensa Latina that they are interested in continuing to foster relations based on strengthening the PDCA signed in 2016 and the principles of reciprocity, respect, and mutual benefit.
They also stated that Cuba will reiterate its denunciation of the effects of the economic, commercial, and financial blockade imposed by the United States for more than six decades and its tightening, a siege that, with its extraterritorial component, impacts and pressures EU citizens, companies, and banks.
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