BY MIREYA CASTAÑEDA —Granma International staff writer—

AT the Palacio de la Revolución, Fidel Castro and Luiz Inacio Lula da Silva, Cuban and Brazilian heads of state respectively, presided over the signing of twelve cooperation agreements covering health, education, sports, fishing, agriculture, the environment and tourism.

The documents were signed just a few hours after Lula da Silva’s arrival in Havana on September 26 – his first visit here since his investiture as president of the South American giant on January 1st this year (which Fidel attended) – at the end of a first round of talks.

As a testimony to the friendship that exists between both nations, President Fidel Castro welcomed the Brazilian leader at José Martí International Airport. The official reception took place later inside the Council of State building, due to the autumn rain.

The first memorandum of understanding was signed by Luiz Fernando Furlan, Brazilian minister for Development, Industry and Foreign Trade, and Fernando Acosta, Cuban Iron and Steel Industry minister and concerns projects related to lending technological services and industrial development, as well as increasing access to industrial digital information.

In a brief exchange with the press, Furlan explained that the agreement included cooperation in sugar and alcohol fuel production with investment by Brazilian firms and joint ventures, plus renewing accords to continue assembling Brazilian urban and tourist buses.

Humberto Lima Costa and Damodar Peña, the Brazilian and Cuban ministers for Health respectively, immediately signed two conventions of intention; one on cooperation in the area of oral health that includes courses, master’s degrees and doctorates in dentistry; the second relating to reciprocal recognition of graduate and post-graduate diplomas. They also signed two memorandums of understanding — one for experiential exchange in oral health; the other emphasizing technology transference and joint development of projects and scientific and technical research.

In a statement to the large number of Brazilian journalists who were also covering Lula’s visit, Lima Costa stated that among other aspects, this latter agreement specifically deals with, blood products, alpha and beta interferons and the Hepatitis B vaccine.

Brazilian Foreign Minister Celso Amorim and his Cuban counterpart Ibrahim Ferradaz signed an accord relating to tourism, proposing the development of programs and projects between organizations, public bodies and businesses principally dealing with tourism products, trade, training, technical assistance, information exchange, investments and promotion.

The protocol of intention on the environment anticipates four projects (in the areas of integrated management of hydrographic basins, rural environmental management, a regulatory framework for oil-related activities and the utilization of geographic information systems) as well as fulfilling the respective legislation on access to genetic resources, and was signed by Amorim and Rosa Elena Simeón, minister for Science, Technology and the Environment.

The Brazilian foreign minister also signed a convention of intention with Alfredo Jordán, Cuba’s Agriculture minister, for effective cooperation covering the areas of grains, dairy and buffalo cattle; introducing the GAVAC vaccine; and developing new vaccine preparations to combat bovine ticks. They likewise signed a memorandum of understanding for scientific-technical and regulatory collaboration in animal and plant health linked to mutual interest in increasing agricultural goods and livestock trade exchange.

Regarding fishing and aquaculture, Brazil’s foreign minister and Alfredo López signed an agreement to diversify cooperation and trade relations in this field, taking into account its importance within Brazil’s Zero Hunger program – according to Frei Betto, special social affairs advisor to Lula’s government, 44 million people suffer from hunger in this rich country – as well as Cuban socio-economic development programs.

Amorim and Luis Ignacio Gómez, Cuban Education minister, signed a protocol of intention on international cooperation for young people and adult’s literacy.

Lastly, the Brazilian foreign minister and Francisco Soberón, the minister president of the Central Bank of Cuba, signed a framework agreement expressing both governments’ willingness to widen the mechanism for canceling Cuba’s debt to Brazil (currently almost $40 million), based on assigning a percentage of income from exports to Brazil.

The Brazilian head of state’s full agenda on his first official visit to Havana concluded with a dinner offered in his honor by President Fidel Castro.