The president of the Councils of State and Ministers, Miguel Diaz-Canel, received on Thursday the president of the Republic of Ghana, Nana Addo Dankwa Akufo-Addo, who is on an official visit to Cuba since last Wednesday.
The visit takes place in the year that marks the 60th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between the two nations.
Ghana was the first sub-Saharan African country to establish relations with Cuba, the Cuban president recalled in the social network Twitter.
The historical leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, and the first President of the Republic of Ghana, Kwame Nkrumah, maintained a strong friendship.
As part of the broad program he will complete during his visit to Cuba, the African leader paid tribute today to our National Hero Jose Marti in the Memorial in his honor at the Plaza de la Revolución.
He also met in the afternoon with the president of the People's Power National Assembly of Cuba (Parliament), Esteban Lazo.
During the meeting in the National Capitol, seat of the legislature, Lazo expressed satisfaction for the presence of the president of the African nation in the largest of the Antilles, and highlighted the bilateral relations established 60 years ago.
In that sense, the president of the Cuban parliament highlighted the steps taken in sectors such as education and health, and said that thanks to the Cuban collaboration in the sports portfolio, six Ghanaian boxers could participate in the last Olympics held in Brazil in 2016
He also highlighted the support of Ghana in the fight against the economic, commercial and financial blockade imposed by the United States Government on the Caribbean nation almost six decades ago.
In addition, he described as very important the visit to Havana by the Ghanaian president, as it will serve to deepen new agreements that help cement relations with Accra.
The Ghanaian head of state thanked Lazo for the warm welcome at the headquarters of the Caribbean nation's parliament, while acknowledging the role of Cuban doctors who provide aid to the people of Ghana.
The Ghanaian dignitary is scheduled for tomorrow Friday a keynote address in the Aula Magna of the University of Havana, as well as other activities and bilateral meetings.
For his part, the Cuban Minister of Public Health, Jose Angel Portal, received his Ghanaian counterpart, Kwaku Agyeman-Manu, with the objective of analyzing cooperation issues between both countries.
Cuban medical cooperation in Ghana began in 1983, as an internationalist mission, and in 2000 the Comprehensive Health Program was launched.
In April 2013 a cooperation agreement was signed with Cuban Medical Services for the assistance and academic services that is still being maintained.
Until the 2016-2017 academic year, a total of 1,064 Ghanaian students graduated in Cuba. More than 200 are currently studying. (Cubadebate)