Suva, May 12th. The Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba to Fiji, Carlos Manuel Rojas Lago, reaffirmed his country's will to cooperate in the fight against COVID-19 with the nations that make up the Pacific Islands Forum (PIF) by intervening in a virtual working session convened by the Secretariat of that organization, in order to review the regional response to the pandemic.
The diplomat conveyed the willingness to hold virtual technical meetings between experts from the Cuban Ministry of Public Health and officials from the PIF Secretariat or the corresponding national authorities, in order to discuss on medical protocols and share the best Cuban experiences in dealing with the disease.
He also informed that, in response to a request for support made by the Republic of Palau, Cuba is able to provide medical assistance to that country to face the threat posed by the virus.
The highest rank representative of the Caribbean Island here recognized the efforts and encouraging results of the region in the battle against the new coronavirus, while underlining the enormous challenges to the economy derived from the scenario imposed by the disease, particularly in the fields of tourism, transport and trade. He said Cuba faces those same challenges, in the midst of the tightening of the criminal blockade imposed by the United States, which makes the acquisition of equipment, medical supplies and other essential goods more difficult.
The virtual meeting, which included the participation of representatives from Member States, Observers and Dialogue Partners of the PIF (that last condition held by Cuba) analyzed international cooperation for the management of the Pacific Humanitarian Corridor on COVID-19. The initiative was launched within the framework of the Biketawa Declaration, which provides mechanisms for regional response to crisis situations.