MINSK, 11 June (BelTA) - Belarus and Cuba continue to develop comprehensive cooperation, paying special attention to healthcare and pharmaceuticals, Chairman of the International Affairs and National Security Commission of the Council of the Republic of the National Assembly of Belarus Sergei Aleinik said following the meeting between Chairperson of the Council of the Republic Natalya Kochanova and Ambassador Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary of the Republic of Cuba to the Republic of Belarus Santiago Pérez Benítez on 11 June, BelTA has learned.
"For more than 30 years of independence, we have strengthened our relations [with Cuba] across all sectors," Sergei Aleinik noted. "We have established a serious political dialogue at all levels, including the highest one. We expect an official visit of the president of Cuba to Belarus soon. He is set to participate in the EAEU summit in Minsk."
Sergei Aleinik emphasized that the countries maintain productive dialogue at the government level. He recalled that in 2023 and 2024, the prime ministers of Belarus and Cuba exchanged official visits. "We have excellent cooperation between sectoral ministries, agencies, and foreign ministries," he added.
Special attention is given to inter-parliamentary relations. "For years, we have strengthened inter-parliamentary cooperation, which continues to develop successfully. Of course, today's meeting focused on this topic. We have established a high-level inter-parliamentary commission and a friendship group in the parliaments of both countries, facilitating exchange visits. We are using parliamentary diplomacy to enhance the strong potential for cooperation between Belarus and Cuba," Sergei Aleinik said.
He also emphasized that healthcare and pharmaceuticals remain a key focus of Belarus-Cuba relations. "A short while ago, a joint Belarusian-Cuban enterprise was established in Cuba to produce medicines," he clarified. At an exhibition held in Cuba in April 2025, more than 50 Belarusian pharmaceutical products were registered and received certification. As a result, contracts were signed to supply around 30 types of pharmaceuticals to the Cuban market.
The parties also discussed industrial cooperation, Sergei Aleinik noted. Over the past decades, Belarus has supplied Cuba with a significant amount of machinery, including products of Minsk Tractor Plant and Minsk Automobile Plant. "The focus now is on modernization and exploring the possibility to create assembly facilities and service centers. These matters are on the bilateral agenda, and I hope they will see further development," the parliamentarian stressed.
Humanitarian cooperation was not overlooked either. Over 40 agreements have been signed between the educational institutions of the two countries in education, science, culture, and tourism. Sergei Aleinik remarked that there is great potential for expanding cooperation in these areas. A science and technology cooperation program until 2030 has been signed, and its successful implementation is a key objective. "There are promising opportunities in tourism as well, including cooperation in health resort treatment," he added.
The legal framework of bilateral relations continues to be strengthened. "Currently, Belarus and Cuba have signed over 30 bilateral documents covering nearly all areas of cooperation. But as they say, there is always room for improvement, and I am confident that the upcoming visit and contacts at the highest, inter-governmental, and inter-parliamentary levels will lead to new agreements," Sergei Aleinik concluded.
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