Luanda, ANGOLA, April 16 - Angola defends increased cooperation with Cuba, focused on the diversification of exports and replacement of the imports for an improved balance of trade between the two countries.,

The statement was made by the Angolan minister of State and Head of the President’s Civil Office, Frederico Cardoso, during the 14th meeting of the Angola-Cuba  Intergovernmental Commission, being held in Luanda .

 

Cuba is being represented in this event by its Council of Ministers Vice President, Ricardo Cabrisas Ruiz.

 

The two country’s current cooperation relations cover several domains, namely military, defence, security, health,  education, higher education, oil and industry based on the general cooperation agreement signed in 1976.

 

On his turn, the Cuban official said he expects that the meeting can herald a new cooperation stage to be characterized by a better and more consistent monitoring of the physical and financial execution of the agreements.

 

The Angolan government defends a practical and efficient methodology to correct, in time, any existing constraints to meet the expectations on the intended quality in the fulfilment of the agreements.

 

Currently, Cuba has about 2,077 of its skilled citizens providing services in various sectors in Angola.

 

The three-day meeting is also assessing the renegotiation and signing of agreements on the use of properties by each other’s missions, the revision of the cooperation accords in various sectors, assessment of the Angolan debt towards Cuba and the role of the cooperation agency ANTEX, among others.

 

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