Cuban president begins African tour in Angola

Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel arrives today in Angola on an official visit, where he will begin a tour of Africa that includes Mozambique, Namibia and South Africa, the latter to participate in the Brics Summit.

Announcing the trip the day before, the president said on his Twitter account that these are sister nations to which the island is united by a history of solidarity at all costs.

According to the Angolan Press Agency, during his stay in Luanda, the Cuban president will hold a dialogue with his counterpart João Lourenço and will speak at the National Assembly (unicameral Congress), in addition to the signing of several agreements.

Cuba and Angola maintain historic ties of friendship and solidarity, forged in the common struggles to maintain Angolan independence and in the mutual support in difficult situations, as well as in the search for development, acknowledge authorities of both countries.

Since 1975, the island was a decisive support for the forces of the Government of the Popular Movement for the Liberation of Angola (MPLA), led by Agostino Neto, in the preservation of the conquered independence.

Around 300 thousand Cubans took part in that struggle together with the Angolans, of whom 2,85 thousand combatants gave their lives, in addition to 204 others who died while performing civilian tasks,

Currently, more than 2,000 collaborators from the Caribbean nation are rendering professional services in Angola, mainly in the health, higher education, defense, energy, industry, internal order and hydraulic resources sectors.

Likewise, more than 9,800 Angolan students have graduated in Cuba.