Nigeria, Cuba Sign Mou to improve bilateral relationships

On Monday Nigeria and Cuba in Abuja signed a memorandum of understanding, Mou, on bilateral relationships.

The Minister of Foreign Affairs of Nigeria, the ambassador Yusuf Tuggar and his Cuban counterpart on visit, Bruno Eduardo Rodriguez Parrilla signed the memorandum of understanding after a resolution behind closed doors.

The Minister of Nigeria explained that the memorandum of understanding has limited itself to strengthening relationships, in particular in the commercial, medicine, science and technology sector.

He said: “We have just signed an agreement, a memorandum of understanding, to further strengthen our political relationship and to further strengthen our collaboration bilaterally and multilaterally.

“Of course, during our bilateral meeting, we discussed different areas to improve trade, investments and collaboration with regard to the medical sector, as regards research, regarding science, as regards technology.

“This is something that Nigeria can’t wait to work together with Cuba towards updating.

“So for us, we consider Cuba as part of the Nigeria diaspora.

Tugar observed that the relationship between the two countries dates back to the era of the struggle for the emancipation of Africa, adding that Cuba and Nigeria also share common culture and traditions.

He said: “Cuba is a country with a special place in Nigeria, who returns to history.

“Before the existence of both countries in the form and form we know them today, perhaps there were people of this part of the world, or even in this position, which presented themselves prominently in the formation of what would become Cuba, because we learn from the history that Diego Velazquez presumably conquered Cuba in 1511, and we know from the story that when that event occurred, there were black people in his company.

“Even if you discover that in contemporary written history, some of these facts are not recognized, but there were still blacks that were there, which were part of this, although perhaps in certain circumstances they were not their choice.

“So history goes, and, of course, Cuba is a country that played a very important role in the liberation of the African continent, in the countries that were under the yoke of racist regimes in the 1960s and 1970s, until the 1980s and perhaps I would say in the early 90s as it did, of course, of course, because it was Nigeria and the United States.

“So we share that common affinity, apart from culture, Yoruba culture in particular, and even Shakiri and other cultures here in Nigeria are still important in Cuba, from music to cuisine and so on.”

The Cuban minister, who is visiting Nigeria for the second time, said Cuba was ready to explore the potential for both countries to improve bilateral relationships, committing the full commitment of his country to improve bilateral relationships with Nigeria.

He said: “We confirm that there is a very positive potential in order to improve our cooperation, trade, investments, economic, cultural, academic, scientific.

“We enjoy an excellent level of bilateral relationship in many different areas, with a very proactive and common exchange in our international agendas, a very proactive level of cooperation and bilateral consultation in bilateral ways and also in multilateral foreign and international organizations.”

He also said: “I am sure that this visit is a positive step and an excellent basis to continue doing positive exchanges, exploring further interests for the good of the Nigerian and Cuban people.

“We Cubans consider ourselves with a Latin American-African people, African descent and, above all, Nigerian descent.

He revealed that he was primarily in Abuja to express “profound appreciation and gratitude for the contribution of Nigeria to our culture and our country and, due to the stand taken from your country on the question of the embargo on Cuba”.

He added that: “We are very proud of ourselves as Latin American and African people and we will always be loyal to this special story in commonality with Africa, but above all with the Federal Republic of Nigeria”.