6 March 2008
Havana — Mozambican President Armando Guebuza, winding up a three day working visit to Cuba, has declared his admiration of the determination and self-esteem shown by the Cuban people, in building an economy that can supply their basic needs despite the vindictive embargo imposed by successive United States administrations.
The embargo, regarded by the Cuban government as a form of economic warfare, prevents Cuba from trading with its powerful neighbour, and attempts to criminalize US citizens attempting to visit the island. It even stops Cuba from doing business with US companies operating in third countries.
It is difficult to quantify the impact of the embargo. One estimate is that, since the victory of the Cuban revolution in 1959, the embargo may have cost Cuba 86 billion US dollars.
Despite the embargo, Cuba has been able to provide free education and health care to its citizens, and has sent doctors, teachers and other specialists to countries across Africa, Asia and Latin America.
Cuba won its place in southern African history when it sent troops to help Angola resist aggression by the South African apartheid regime on two occasions - at the very birth of the Angolan nation in 1975, and at the battle of Cuito Cuanavale, in 1987-88.
"With determination and self-esteem, it is possible to overcome adversities, and Cuba is an example of this", Guebuza told the Mozambican journalists who accompanied him on this visit.
Guebuza, who held official talks with the new Cuban president Raul Castro during his visit, confirmed that Cuba is willing to continue supporting Mozambique in its development agenda centred on the fight against poverty.
He reaffirmed the political will of the Mozambican government to continue its cooperation with Cuba, and its appreciation for the valuable support Mozambique has received from Cuba over the years, notably in education, health, and science and technology. Guebuza regarded Cuba as a key partner, whose specialist technical assistance is fundamental for the battle against absolute poverty.
Among the specific results of this visit, Guebuza said, are the establishment with Cuban support of a higher Institute of Arts and Culture, due to open in the southern city of Matola later this year, a Biotechnology Centre, aimed at using genetic technology to improve livestock species, and an increase in the number of Mozambicans studying at Cuban universities from about 50 to 70.
In addition, Cuba has pledged to send experts to help train Mozambican ophthalmologists, and specialists in speech and hearing disorders.
As for tourism, which has now become Cuba's main source of foreign currency, Cuba has agreed to train Mozambican tourist operators and guides, as part of Mozambique's strategy to benefit from spin-offs from the Football World Cup to be held in South Africa in 2010.
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