Visiting Cuban Vice president Salvador Valdes Mesa and VP Kembo Mohadi during the commissioning of the Fidel Castro Road in Harare/pic Julius Manganda
By Dickson Bandera
Visiting Vice president of Cuba Salvador Valdes Mesa says he leaves Zimbabwe satisfied after a fruitful three day official visit.
The Cuban VP was in the country for a three day visit where he signed bilateral agreements and commissioned the Fidel Castro Rd, formerly Charter Rd in Harare on Friday afternoon, before visiting the National Heroes Acre and the African Liberation Museum to familiarise with the key national monument.
Together with Zimbabwean Vice president Cde Kembo Mohadi, the visiting VP oversaw the signing in of an agreement on reciprocal exemption of visa requirements to diplomatic officials and service passport holders by Foreign Affairs and International Trade Minister Ambassador Frederick Shava and Cuban Charge d’affaires Ambassador Yenielys Regueiferos Linares.
A special dinner was held at Mendel Training Centre in Harare where various stakeholders involved in the Cuba Zimbabwe bilateral relations such as Zimbabwe Anti-Sanctions Trust, Zimbabwe Cuba Friendship Association (Zicufa), the Cuba Medical Brigade and the Cuba Residents in Zimbabwe took turns to make presentations reflecting on the ongoing relations.
VP Salvador Valdes Mesa also conferred an Award of Honour to Ambassador Simbarashe Mumbengegwi for his contribution to the bilateral relations of Zimbabwe and Cuba.
Despite being geographically far apart, the two countries have a history of socialist and revolutionary movements. Cuba has a socialist government, while Zimbabwe has been ruled by the socialist Zimbabwe African National Union-Patriotic Front since independence.
Additionally, both countries have faced economic challenges, as a result of sanctions and other external pressures. However, both countries have made efforts to build up their economies and improve the lives of their citizens. They also share a passion for sports, music, and dance.
Fidel Castro is an important figure in the history of Zimbabwe owing to his revolutionary spirit that saw him help Zimbabwe in the prosecution of the armed struggle and post independence.
He visited Zimbabwe in 1986 as part of his tour of several African countries, which Castro saw as a way to strengthen Cuba’s ties with the continent.
During his visit to Zimbabwe, Castro visited several cities, including Harare, Bulawayo, and Mutare. Castro’s visit was seen as a symbol of solidarity between Cuba and Zimbabwe, which were both facing economic and political challenges at the time.
On the other hand, former President Robert Mugabe visited Cuba on a number of occasions. In 1999, he visited Cuba to discuss political and economic issues, and to sign a number of trade and cooperation agreements. In 2006, he returned to Cuba for the Non-Aligned Movement Summit, where he delivered a speech.
In 2010, he again visited Cuba, where he met with Cuban President Raul Castro. The two leaders discussed a range of issues, including strengthening ties between their countries. He was to visit Cuba again in 2016 when the revolutionary passed away.
There is a longstanding history of Cuban doctors working in Zimbabwe. In fact, Cuba has been sending doctors to work in Zimbabwe since the 1980s, when the country gained independence from the Over the years, Cuban doctors have played an important role in providing healthcare to Zimbabweans, particularly in rural areas.
Many of these doctors have specialized in fields such as family medicine, infectious diseases, and ophthalmology.