Namibian President Visits Cuba

HAVANA, Cuba, Feb 13. Hifikeunye Lucas Pohamba, President of Namibia and of the Southwestern African People’s Organization (SWAPO) arrived in Havana at the invitation of Cuban President Raul Castro Ruz.

Lucas Pohamba and his delegation were welcomed by Foreign Investment and Economic Cooperation Minister Rodrigo Malmierca at the Jose Marti International Airport. The visitors will stay in Cuba until next Sunday.

The Namibian President will hold official talks with Raul Castro and he will also meet with other Communist Party and government leaders. Lucas Pohamba will tour different places of economic, scientific, social and historic interest.

This is the fourth occasion that the African leader comes to Cuba, since he traveled here in 2002 as SWAPO General Secretary. His latest visit took place in 2006, as he headed a delegation to the 14th Non-Aligned Summit.

Cuba and Namibia established diplomatic relations on March 21, 1990. Both nations enjoy increasing bilateral cooperation links in different fields. At present, 154 Cuban workers are offering their services in Namibia, 116 of them are boosting the Comprehensive Health System, which saved the life of some 71, 000 Namibians who were submitted to surgery,
vaccination and other treatments.

Up to date some 1, 281 Namibian youths have graduated from Cuban education centers, most of them as medical technicians and other professions, while another 121 students are still taking different courses.

Namibia has always supported the Cuban Resolution against the US economic blockade of Cuba, at the United Nations.

During the 4th Congress of the SWAPO, held in 2007, the historic leader of Namibia Sam Nujoma and Lucas Pohamba acknowledged the contribution made by Cuban internationalist forces to Namibia´s independence and to the end of the racist Apartheid system.

Namibia was the first country to have expressed its solidarity with the Cuban people after the passage on the island of hurricanes Gustav, Ike and Paloma last year; that country donated one million dollars for the recovery process.

(De visita en Cuba presidente de Namibia)