Cuba-Belize Discuss Bilateral Cooperation in Joint Commission
23 July, 2008

Havana, Cuba.-  Government officials from Cuba and Belize are meeting in the African country to discuss ways to enhance bilateral cooperation in several areas and to foster programs already in progress.

"The relationship with Cuba is extremely valuable to liberate ourselves," said Wilfred Elrington, Belize’ Minister of Foreign Affairs and Foreign Trade during the opening session of the Eleventh Joint Commission for Economic and Technical Cooperation between the two countries. 

Diplomatic sources said the Minister extolled the Cuban system which he noted has placed education and health at its core. He expressed Belize’s permanent rejection to the economic, financial and commercial blockade of the US against the island.

During the opening session, ambassador of Belize to Cuba presented a proclamation of the Mayor's Association of Belize declaring one week in solidarity with Cuba and in appreciation of the Cuban help to the Belize.

The two nations have developed bilateral cooperation programs in several areas such as healthcare, education, sugar industry, agriculture as well as human development, trade and culture, construction, says the embassy’s report. 

The Cuban delegation to the meeting is headed by Orlando Requeijo, Deputy Minister of Foreign Investments and Collaboration, who is accompanied by other officials such as the Director of International Relations of the Ministry of Education.

Likewise several Belizean ministers are taking part in the Commission like the head of Education, Patrick Faber; Minister of Sports, Culture and Youth, Marcel Cardona; and the Chairman of the Sugar Industry Control Borrad, Nemencio Acosta.

Currently 109 Cuban health professionals are rendering services in Belize, while 110 young Belizean are studying medicine in Cuba. More than 1 600 Belizeans have had eye surgeries thanks to the Operation Miracle project. The last Joint Commission was held in Havana, Cuba on October 2007. (acn)