Mbombela, 15 January 2024 - With the presence of more than 250 delegates from over 27 countries, the first session of the VII African Continental Meeting of Solidarity with Cuba began, which will last until 17 January. Among those present are members of solidarity groups from the continent and other regions of the world, as well as representatives of political parties from South Africa, the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic, Zimbabwe, Namibia, Egypt, China, the United States, Iran, Mozambique, Botswana, among others.
During the event, several working commissions will discuss the history of the Cuban Revolution and its contribution to the international struggle for a more just and equitable world order.
The ANC Deputy President in Mpumalanga Province, Speedy Katisho Mashilo, in welcoming the delegates, acknowledged Cuba's role in the liberation struggles in Southern Africa, which led to the independence of Angola, Namibia and the definitive fall of apartheid.
The president of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP), Fernando González Llort, who heads the Cuban delegation, referred to the African continent's historic position of support for Cuba. He also welcomed the condemnation of the blockade and the opposition to the inclusion of the island on the arbitrary list of countries sponsoring terrorism.
Father Michael Lapsley, on behalf of the South African Cuba Friendship Association, FOCUS, highlighted the commitment of South Africans to the Cuban Revolution, as well as their rejection to the criminal economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States.
(Cuban Embassy in South Africa)