Fiji, Cuba Bolster Diplomatic Ties

The bilateral engagements between Fiji and Cuba will pro­vide opportunities for national development for both the nations.

This was highlighted last week during the courtesy call made by Cuba’s Ambassador to Fiji, Carlos Manuel Rojas, to the Min­ister for Defence, National Security and Foreign Affairs Inia Se­ruiratu.

The meeting held between the two looked at strategies to en­hance the existing diplomatic ties between Fiji and Cuba.

Mr Seruiratu acknowledged the Cuban government’s support for Fiji’s health development programmes through the provision of medical scholarships to Fijian medical students to attain a Bachelor’s Degree in Surgery and Medicine (MBBS) since 2011.

Ambassador Rojas stated that Cuba had also reached out to other Pacific Island countries namely Solomon Islands, Papua New Guinea, Nauru, Vanuatu, Kiribati, and Federated States of Micronesia through the Cuban medical scholarships.

Discussions also touched on potentially having visa free travel opportunities with Cuba.

Mr Seruiratu said that proposals for new sporting initiatives will also be factored into this year’s collaboration strategies.

Fiji and Cuba have established cordial relations with the open­ing of the Cuban resident mission in Suva.

Fiji and Cuba entered into diplomatic relations in 2002 and since then the two nations have continued to enhance collabora­tions for diplomatic engagement.