According to a statement released today by the South African Foreign Ministry, the working visit will provide an opportunity for the two Ministers to strengthen strategic bilateral relations and cooperation programs between South Africa and Cuba.

The Ministers will also exchange views on regional and global issues of mutual interest, the document adds.

Cuba, the South African Ministry of International Relations and Cooperation (Dirco) states in the document, is one of South Africa’s strategic partners in Latin America and the Caribbean.

Relations between the two countries date back long before the democratic elections of 1994, which can largely be attributed to the remarkable contribution made by Cuba to the liberation of South Africa and the defeat of apartheid and colonialism, it added.

South Africa and Cuba, the statement recalled, are linked by ties of culture, history, shared struggles, international solidarity and a joint commitment to advance the development agenda of the Global South.

The bilateral collaboration between South Africa and Cuba, which has been developing for a long time, Dirco added, is multifaceted and is supported by a considerable number of bilateral agreements covering a wide range of areas, including health, public works, education and cooperation in water and sanitation.

The foreign policies of South Africa and Cuba focus on the peaceful resolution of conflicts, multilateralism, the rule of international law and the centrality of the United Nations in maintaining international peace and security, the Ministry concluded. ef/mem/mv