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Algeria and Cuba strengthen their
fraternal ties
Nuria Barbosa León
Photos: Orlando Perera / ICAP
Cuba’s solidarity with the people of Africa, and in
particular Algeria, marked the speech given by the
Ambassador of this Arab nation, Abdullah Laouari,
during a ceremony commemorating the 60th anniversary
of the beginning of the country’s independence
struggle.
 Abdullah
Laouari, Algerian ambassador to Cuba, expressed
gratitude for Cuba’s swift action in helping to
combat Ebola.
In
1963, Cuba responded to a request by Algeria’s then
President, Ahmed Ben Bella, by sending a group of
doctors who worked in the country for 13 years. This
marked the beginning of Cuban internationalism,
through which more than 130,000 health
professionals, to date, have offered their services
in nations across the globe.
“The
ties of friendship and solidarity which unite both
countries are founded on respect, appreciation and
selfless mutual support under all circumstances,”
the diplomat stated during the ceremony held at the
Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP).
“Algeria and its people, faithful to the principles
of their Revolution, support Cuba’s legitimate
claims, in particular its demand that the unjust
blockade imposed by the U.S. be lifted. Just as the
overwhelming majority in the most recent UN General
Assembly vote,” the Ambassador stated.
Abdullah Laouari commented on the scope of the
political meetings held in Algeria a few months ago,
the preparations for the 19th Intergovernmental
Cooperation Commission Session - scheduled to take
place in the Cuban capital in December -, and the
participation of Algerian businesses in the Havana
International Trade Fair, currently taking place.
“We
wish to strengthen, expand and diversify our
exchanges in various sectors of mutual interest in
accordance with the potential and complimentarity of
the economies of our two countries.”
He
ended his speech by highlighting the example of
solidarity and humanism shown by Cuba in the fight
against the Ebola epidemic, “Faithful to the
principles of its glorious Revolution and despite
its own difficulties, this Caribbean island has
instinctively placed itself at the vanguard of
actions taken by the international community in
order to prevent the spread of this terrible
scourge.”
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