The Ambassador of Cuba to Ghana, Pedro Luis Despaigne González, offered an interview at the Cuban embassy in Accra, to the Nigerian Praise Uzosike and the Cuban resident in Ghana, Anamay Giraudy Simono, students of the Legon Centre for International Affairs and Diplomacy (LECIAD) located in the University of Ghana. Both young women are in the final stage of their Master's studies in International Relations.
The Nigerian Uzosike focused her questions on the importance and timeliness of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations; while Anamay framed her questions in Cuba-Ghana relations.
The Cuban Ambassador addressed both issues in a broad way and in the case of the Vienna Convention on Diplomatic Relations; he highlighted how diplomats of any signatory state have as a principle, the protection and defense of the interests of their respective nations in the countries where they are accredited. He also made reference to the inviolability of diplomatic headquarters, and the need to respect this Convention by all signatory states.
Regarding the diplomatic ties between Ghana and Cuba, he made reference to how the identity of anti-colonial and anti-imperialist principles between Dr. Kwame Nkrumah, founding father of Ghana's independence, and the Commander in Chief, Fidel Castro, influenced the establishment of diplomatic relations, on December 23, 1959. He also highlighted the importance of training in Cuba for around two thousand young Ghanaians of both sexes, and the presence on Ghanaian soil of more than a thousand Cuban collaborators from the sector of the Health. He also highlighted the historic position of Ghana in its support for Cuba's battle against the blockade. Regarding the prospects for cooperation, she pointed out that both countries have expressed the will to expand them, and exemplified with the two official visits made to Cuba by the President and Vice President of Ghana in 2019.
The students positively evaluated the answers, and the advice they received from the Cuban Ambassador for their future professional work. (Cubaminrex / Embacuba Ghana)