Ghana-Cuba relations will continue to grow for mutual benefit – Foreign Minister

Shirley Ayorkor Botchwey, Minister for Foreign Affairs and Regional Integration has held a meeting with H.E. Pedro Luis Despaigne Gonzalez, Ambassador of Cuba to Ghana on Wednesday, 12th May 2021 in Accra.

The meeting which was at the instance of the Cuban Ambassador was also used to deliver a letter from the Minister for Foreign Affairs of Cuba, H.E. Bruno Rodriguez Parrilla to Ghana’s Foreign Minister.

Ghana has longstanding cordial relations with Cuba, dating back to independence and for the past few years have witnessed the further strengthening of these ties, Ayorkor Botchwey said.

She added that Ghana-Cuba relations will continue to flourish on all fronts for the mutual benefit of the two countries; With the establishment of the African Continental Free Trade Area (AFCFTA), it presents a great potential for increased intra-Africa trade and for attracting Foreign Direct Investment (FDI) from Cuba.

She indicated that the Ministry is liaising with the relevant MDAs in Ghana for feedback on the under listed issues:

i. Formalization of the Obligations Settlement Agreement (OSA) to be signed between the Republic of Ghana and the Republic of Cuba;

ii. Stalled negotiations of the draft agreement under which a technical-assistance and consulting service contract will be entered into between the Cuban firm LABIOFAM and West Africa Bio Products Limited (WABP) with the consent of the Ghana National Petroleum Corporation (GNPC) for the construction of a malaria control bio-larvicide plant in Ghana.

She enquired visa arrangements for the remaining 24 students expected to join their colleagues in Cuba under the Zongo and Deprived communities Scholarship;

She sought to ascertain whether there were any complaints by the Cuban side regarding the management of Ghanaian students in Cuba and also referred to the demise on Friday 7th May 2021 of Mr Erasmus Klutse, a 2nd-year medical student at ELAM and request an update from the Cuban side on the events leading to the unfortunate incident.

Foreign Minister Enquired further whether the Ambassador had heard the social media reports about the incident especially the issue of non-availability of an ambulance and late attendance on the late Klutse by the Cuban health professionals as well as general discrimination against the Ghanaian students.

She finally commended the Ambassador for the good work done so far and wish him continued success as he comes to the end of his duty tour.