Last week, Uganda’s Ambassador to the Republic of Cuba, H.E Elizabeth Musazi presented copies of her credentials in Havana as the East Africa country plans to reopen her embassy in the island nation.
Ambassador Musazi presented her copies to Cuba’s Deputy Minister, Josefina Vidal Ferreiro in the country’s capital, Havana.
In her speech, Ambassador Musazi highlighted the areas of cooperation between Kampala and Havana, promising to build on the existing strong ties.
“We would like to build on this co-operation further for the mutual benefit of our countries including in Trade(Barter Trade), more scholarships in special fields where you have advanced technology,” Ambassador Musazi said.
She added, “We shall from time to time consult your government as we settle fast and deepen our cooperation for the mutual benefit of our two nations.”
The ambassador will later present her final credentials to Cuba’s President H.E Miguel Mario Díaz-Canel Bermúdez.
Uganda and Cuba established diplomatic relations in 1974.
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The two countries have Co-operation agreements in the fields of Science and Technology among others:
There are Cuban doctors working in Uganda and there is co-operation with Cuban Scientists in the field of Research in Agriculture. Uganda also has Cuban Professors teaching in Universities, like Mbarara University of Science & Technology (MUST), and regularly gets Scholarships for Ugandan Students to study in Cuba.
Discussions on reopening of the embassy which closed in 2000, started in 2016 when Cuba’s Vice President Salvador Valdes Mesa visited Uganda in 2016 and appealed to Kampala to reconsider reopening the embassy.
Officials from Uganda’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs are in Havana to put final touches to preparations for the official reopening of the embassy. They are also in Cuba to share experiences with Havana on the organising of the Non-Alligned Movement that Kampala is set to host next year. The team is lead by Foreign Affairs Ministry Permanent Secretary, Vincent Bagiire.
Uganda’s UN Permanent Representative, Ambassador Adonia Ayebare, who accompanied the team, tweeted photos of a brief tour he made in Havana.