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THE OFFICIAL
VISIT OF THE RIGHT HONOURABLE THE PRIME MINISTER TO
HAVANA, CUBA
01 - 03 OCTOBER, 2009
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The Rt Hon the Prime Minister lays a wreath at the
cemetery in Havana. |
On
03 October 2009, the Right Honourable the Prime Minister,
Mr. Pakalitha Mosisili concluded his two day Official Visit
to Havana, Cuba where he was the guest of President Raúl
Castro Ruz for the celebration of the 30th anniversary of
diplomatic relations between Lesotho and Cuba.
Lesotho and Cuba established Diplomatic Relations in June of
1979 and this milestone was celebrated in both Lesotho and
Cuba in a clear demonstration of the close ties that exist
between the two countries. Earlier this year, while at the
meeting of the Non-Aligned Movement, the Lesotho delegation
joined the Government and people of Cuba as they celebrated
the 50th Anniversary of Cuba’s Revolution.
Since the establishment of diplomatic ties, relations
between the two countries have been growing from strength to
strength. Cooperation between Lesotho and Cuba has enjoyed
remarkable development over the years as evidenced by the
continued political and economic exchanges between the two
countries.
There have been regular exchanges of high level delegations
between the Governments of both countries. Notably, His
Majesty King Letsie III, paid an official visit to Cuba in
2007. During his visit accompanied by some ministers and
other senior government officials King Letsie III held talks
with then Cuba's First Vice President Raul CASTRO RUZ
(current President). His Majesty also met the Parliament's
President Ricardo Alarcon, Vice President Carlos LAGE and
Foreign Minister Felipe Perez ROQUE. His Majesty the King’s
visit to Cuba further deepened the ties of friendship and
cooperation between the two nations.
The
Prime Minister was last in Cuba in 2005 where he met with
former President Fidel Castro and received a donation of
solar panels to be installed in some clinics located in
rural areas of Lesotho. On this occasion,
 the Prime Minister
paid a courtesy call on Cuba’s current President Raúl Castro
Ruz, and also met with the First Vice President Dr. José
Ramón Machado Ventura. During his visit, the Prime Minister
also got the opportunity to visit Lesotho students currently
studying in Cuba as well as to tour some of Cuba’s historic
sites and centres of innovation.
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The Rt Hon greeted by the First Vice President Dr.
José Ramón Machado Ventura |
The commitment of the two governments to strengthen the
cooperation is driven through the Joint Bilateral Commission
for Economic, Scientific and Technical Cooperation that was
established in 2000. Under this framework, robust bilateral
cooperation exists between Lesotho and Cuba within the
health sector, and now expanded into the fields of
agriculture, local government, culture, natural
resources,science and Technology as well as human resource
development. Beyond the Joint Bilateral Commission, Lesotho
and Cuba enjoy strong cooperation in international fora
particularly at the United Nations where the two countries
pursue similar aspirations.
The Right Honourable the Prime Minister was accompanied by
the First Lady Mrs. ‘Mathato Mosisili, the Minister of
Foreign Affairs and International Relations Hon. Mohlabi
Tsekoa, the Minster of Health and Social Welfare, Hon. Dr.
Mphu Ramatlapeng and other senior government officials. |
