President of the Republic Abdelmadjid Tebboune reaffirmed Thursday Algeria’s permanent solidarity with the Cuban people under an economic, commercial, and financial blockade imposed for over 60 years.
“Algeria and Cuba are bound by historical relations of friendship and solidarity, based on the values of freedom, peace, and justice that we share,” said President Tebboune in a joint statement with his Cuban counterpart at the end of their talks at the headquarters of the Presidency of the Republic.
He reaffirmed “Algeria’s permanent solidarity with the Cuban people to lift the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed on their country for more than 60 years, driven by our commitment to the United Nations principles and the UN General Assembly resolution which calls for the lifting of this blockade.”
The President of the Republic also considered that the visit of his Cuban counterpart to Algeria was “an opportunity to strengthen cooperation and coordination, which have been interrupted between the two countries since 2019,” saying that he had “an in-depth discussion” with the Cuban President.
“Based on our sense of duty towards the Republic of Cuba, a brotherly and friendly country, with which we have had, in the past and present, relations that we will weave together in the future, Algeria has decided to alleviate the difficulties facing Cuba’s economy by canceling interest on Cuba’s debt to Algeria and the postponement of their payment,” explained President Tebboune.
Algeria has also decided “to donate a solar power plant to Cuba and to resume supplies of hydrocarbons so that the country restarts its power plants and power cuts stop,” added the president.
In addition, the President of the Republic said he agreed with his Cuban counterpart to “strengthen cooperation in the pharmaceutical industry, create the required number of joint companies, produce vaccines and boost the exchange of experiences in the fields of higher education, youth, and trade.”
In the same context, he said that the official Algerian delegation, which will take part in the meeting of the Joint Commission in Havana scheduled for the beginning of 2023, “will be accompanied by about 150 Algerian investors in order to discuss investment opportunities in Cuba.”
At the end of his speech, President Tebboune sent a message of support and encouragement to the Cuban people and particularly to young people to “take up the torch.”
He also offered his heartfelt greetings, on his behalf and on behalf of the Algerian people, to the former President of Cuba, Raul Castro.
Source APS