Cuban President highlights science contributions to the country

Havana, November 6 (RHC)-- Cuban President Miguel Díaz-Canel highlighted Friday the importance of the country's scientific community's contributions in the decision-making process to advance national development.

"We are aware that to  advance, grow, and develop, we can count on the participation and contribution of the Cuban scientific community (...) We feel supported and committed to their efforts," said the head of state during the closing of a workshop at the University of Havana.

Díaz-Canel recalled that Cuban scientists participate in the temporary workgroups where the country's public policies are designed.

He reiterated the vital role of science in facing the Covid-19 pandemic in Cuba and its professionals' support to other nations given this health emergency.

The President participated along with ministers, scientists, academicians, researchers, and professors in the closing of the workshop "Sciences in the construction of Cuban society and culture," which met since Tuesday at Havana's University.

Issues such as sustainable development, economy, culture, education, technology, innovation, and scientific thought guided the debates and proposals on the challenges of science in Cuba for society's development.

Dr. Agustín Lage Dávila, advisor of the Biocubafarma business group and one of the speakers at the meeting, reiterated that Cuba's economic growth would need high value-added goods and services based on science and technology.

As he told Prensa Latina news agency, "the world is moving towards an economy where its main asset is knowledge, and Cuba has both the need and the possibility of inserting itself in this knowledge-based economy."

At the end of the meeting, the participants agreed to include in a document all the ideas and reflections that emerged during these days, to socialize them and create new debates in different spaces at the national level.