Belarus, Cuba to expand ties in healthcare

MINSK, 12 June (BelTA) – Belarus and Cuba are intent on substantially expanding avenues of promising interaction, including in the field of healthcare. Belarusian Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs Evgeny Shestakov made the statement after the 11th session of the Belarus-Cuba commission on trade and economic cooperation, BelTA has learned.

Evgeny Shestakov said that the parties had discussed deliveries of Belarusian food to Cuba. Primarily milk powder. The parties agreed to take all the necessary measures to increase the export of these products on the basis of previously signed framework agreements, which envisage shipments of specified amounts of milk powder every year (8,000 tonnes). Further steps concerning joint investment projects were reconciled: the establishment of an enterprise in Cuba to assemble tractors, a joint venture to make whole milk products out of Belarusian raw materials at premises of a dairy complex located outside Havana.

The deputy minister of foreign affairs also said: “We’ve seriously considered matters of cooperation in healthcare ranging from the registration of medications and ending with the making of joint products. Successful cooperation in this field could accelerate the promotion of Belarusian medications onto markets of Latin America countries and help Cuban medications secure their foothold on the markets of Eurasian Economic Union countries.”

According to Evgeny Shestakov, concrete measures were also sketched out for the sake of advancing cooperation in science, education, and tourism.

The realization of all the agreements the parties have reached will allow securing positive dynamics of bilateral cooperation, which emerged in 2023, the Belarusian deputy minister of foreign affairs concluded.