MOSCOW, 4 February (BelTA) - Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba to the Russian Federation, Julio Antonio Garmendia Pena, has been appointed by the Government of Cuba as the permanent representative to the Eurasian Economic Commission. The chairman of the EEC Board has received the relevant notification, BelTA learned from the press service of the Eurasian Economic Commission (EEC).
The status of the observer state at the EAEU was granted to Cuba at a meeting of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council on 11 December 2020. “The representative of the observer state, his office staff and other representatives of the observer state can participate, upon invitation, in the meetings of the EEC Board, the EEC Council and Advisory Bodies at the EEC,” the press service said. “The head of state and the head of government of the observer state can attend, upon invitation, the meetings of the Supreme Eurasian Economic Council and the Eurasian Intergovernmental Council. The state receiving observer status is obliged to refrain from any action that could harm the interests of the union and its member states, the purposes of the Treaty of the Eurasian Economic Union (EAEU)."
Cooperation between the EAEU and Cuba as an observer state relies on the mechanisms of interaction between the EEC and the government of the Republic of Cuba set up within the framework of the 2018 memorandum of understanding, in line with which a joint working group has been set up. “Dialogue with the EAEU is seen by Cuba as an important tool to revive trade and economic ties with Cuba's traditional partners on the Eurasian continent and an incentive to bring cooperation to a new higher level,” the Eurasian Economic Commission said.
Trade and economic cooperation between the EAEU member states and Cuba has a serious potential for growth. In 2019, trade between the EAEU countries and Cuba amounted to $214.7 million, with exports totaling $197.1 million and imports - $17.6 million.
