MINSK, 28 July (BelTA) - Belarus and Cuba are taking relations to a new level of relations, Sergei Klishevich, a member of the Standing Commission on Education, Culture and Science of the House of Representatives, the head of the working group of the National Assembly of Belarus oncCooperation with the Parliament of Cuba, told reporters in Minsk on 28 July, BelTA reports.
Today, the House of Representatives is hosting a delegation of Cuba's Center for the State Control of Medicines, Equipment and Medical Devices (CECMED) and the Finlay Institute of Vaccines headed by Vicente Vérez Bencomo, the developer of the Cuban vaccine against COVID-19, Deputy of the National Assembly of People's Power of Cuba, Hero of the Republic of Cuba.
"We are taking our relations to a new level, not only in politics. For a long time, we have had a fairly strong relationship with Cuba. We have always supported each other in different international organizations. Now we are moving to a practical level of interaction. Today we are hosting a Cuban delegation which deals with pharmaceutical issues, vaccines. Cuba has always been famous for its high-level medical care. Cuba's COVID-19 response put the country on the map of leading countries,” Sergei Klishevich said. "We have developed a number of proposals, including regarding joint cooperation in the production and distribution of medicines."
The Cuban vaccine against COVID-19 SOBERANA PLUS produced by the Finlay Vaccine Institute, has been registered in Belarus. "It is in Belarus that the Cuban vaccine has received its first registration on the European continent. This is very symbolic and significant for our further joint work," the MP said. “Our cooperation is not limited to medicine and pharmacology. We cooperate in agriculture, tourism and industry. We actively work in all the areas, exchange working groups and delegations. There are a lot of new areas where we have intensified cooperation. It is especially important at the time when geopolitical and economic struggle is on all over the world, and sales markets are being divided. Here we see the importance of using Cuba as our partner in Latin America to work with other Latin American countries. Now, by negotiating with Cuba, we are essentially expanding the markets for our products to other Latin American countries, and the Cubans help us a lot in this,” the MP said.
“We are ready to be an outpost for Cuba in distributing their goods and services both in our country and in the territory of our neighbors, first of all, the EAEU countries. Cuba is interested in our agricultural and industrial equipment, agricultural products. Here we are also working on a number of cooperation issues. Our economies are complementary, and we can easily find common points of interest. There is a struggle for markets and it is important for us not to lose one of the world's major trade, economic and political partners in Latin America. Such visits help strengthen cooperation in the economic sector,” Sergei Klishevich added.
Today's meeting in the Belarusian parliament is focused on the prospects of developing cooperation in medicine. The parties are also set to discuss licensing of Belarusian medications in Cuba with the possibility of selling them, including in the markets of Latin America. There are plans to discuss cooperation in the political sector and joint efforts to counteract attempts of pressure and interference in the internal affairs of the two countries.
The Cuban delegation is on a visit to Belarus. Negotiations have been held in a number of pharmacological and medical organizations and institutions in order to establish relationships in the production and use of medicines, including those aimed at combating COVID-19.
