This was agreed upon by the president of the Cuban Friendship Institute (ICAP), Fernando Gonzalez Llort, who led a Caribbean delegation on a working visit to Addis Ababa, and the director of Public and International Relations of the local political group, Bikila Hurissa.

During the meeting, Gonzalez Llort expressed his congratulations on the successful completion of the Grand Ethiopian Renaissance Dam (GERD) and extended his best wishes to the African people for their New Year.

He described the GERD as a symbol of self-reliance and a model of national determination with lessons for Africa and the world at large.

Both sides, that highlighted the historical fraternity between the two countries and agreed to expand cooperation through inter-party, government-to-government, and people-to-people channels, emphasized on the need to formalize ties through memoranda of understanding and strategic alliances, as well as to explore new areas of collaboration.

The talks also addressed the impact of the US government’s unilateral sanctions against Cuba. In this regard, Hurissa expressed his solidarity with the Caribbean island, describing these extraterritorial measures as an “economic war against the people” that undermines the country’s sovereign rights.

Likewise, the local representative recognized Cuba’s resilience in the face of external pressure as an example of national pride and independence.

Both sides also emphasized that, in today’s multipolar world, global challenges must be addressed with equity, dialogue, and cooperation, rather than intimidation.

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