Riyadh, March 7th – The Ambassador of Cuba to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and non-resident Ambassador to the Kingdom of Bahrain, Vladimir Gonzalez Quesada, paid a successful working visit to Manama from March 3rd to 6th, 2024, during which he fulfilled an intense agenda with the objective of reviewing bilateral relations with the small Gulf nation and to promote them.
During his stay in the Bahraini capital, the head of mission held interviews with the secretary general of the Supreme Council for Youth and Sports, Mr. Ayman bin Tawfiq Al-Moayed, as well as with the secretary general of the Supreme Council of Higher Education, Dr. Diana Abdulkarim Al-Jahrami. In both cases, the possibilities of expanding bilateral cooperation in the respective sectors were reviewed.
Likewise, the Cuban diplomat held a working session with the director of Americas Department at the Bahraini Foreign Ministry, Dr. Abdulla Ali Khalifa Al Khalifa, reviewing latest most remarkable bilateral events between Cuba and the Kingdom.
Afterwards, a meeting with members of the small Cuban community residing in Manama took place, where the Ambassador was accompanied by the Counselor in charge of Consular Affairs, Rebeca Fernandez Nunez. It was very gratifying to share with compatriots who live and work in this country, to inform them about the results of the IV Conference “Nation and Emigration” held in Havana, and to assist them from the consular point of view.
On the next day of the visit, Ambassador Vladimir was received in audience by the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Bahrain, Dr. Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani. They pleasantly discussed about the good state of bilateral relations and the ways to boost them, as well as other issues of common interest.
Then the Cuban diplomat met with the Yemeni Ambassador to Bahrain, Dr. Ali Hassan Al-Ahmadi, addressing current issues in Yemen and its historical bilateral ties with Cuba, given his status as concurrent Ambassador also in that Arab nation.
The Ambassador and the Counselor also visited the "Spanish and Arab World" Academy, run by a compatriot and who is doing a meritorious work to preserve the Cervantes language among members of the resident Cuban community and also teaching it to interested Bahraini citizens.
As a culmination of the visit and before returning to Riyadh, the Ambassador met with the Undersecretary of Health, Dr. Lulwa Rashid Al-Showaiter, to explore possibilities of reactivating collaboration in the sector, from an earlier positive experience of a Cuban medical brigade that worked in the country based on a bilateral agreement signed in 2014.
It should be noted that this visit to Manama takes place within the framework of the celebration of the 30th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations between Cuba and Bahrain, which took place on June 15th, 1994. (EmbaCuba Arabia Saudita)