Havana, Feb 17 (Prensa Latina) Cuba is a strategic partner of Indonesia in the Caribbean and is a priority to strengthen ties in the political, economic, trade and investment, Ambassador Nana Yuliana said.
The head of the Indonesian Mission on the island highlighted in an exclusive interview granted to Prensa Latina the work carried out in the last two years, in which they maintained an enduring cooperation of mutual benefit in many areas, based on equality, mutual respect and cordiality.
In that period we intensified the six agreements in force in the areas of culture, agriculture, sports, health and even in the areas of information exchange, such as the agreement between Prensa Latina and Antara, and recently the memorandum of visa exemption for diplomats and other official representatives’, Yuliana said.
Likewise, the ambassador underlined that mutual support in international organizations and priority issues such as peace is a constant.
In her opinion, even though commercial exchange increased in the midst of the pandemic, there is a possibility for this volume to grow and for the island to increase exports to the Indonesian market of highly coveted products, such as tobacco and sugar.
‘Surprisingly, Cuba’s exports to Indonesia grew 30% in 2022, especially in terms of medical supplies and tobacco’, she specified.
On the other hand, he cited the investments made in the tourism sector, especially in hotel management; ‘we are operating right now in six facilities of the Aston group, in Havana, Cayo Coco, Holguin, Varadero, Villa Clara’.
The cultural exchange is a key piece in the link between both countries, hence the realization from 2020 to date of multiple activities that include photographic exhibitions, culinary and textile samples, donations to the educational system, among others, the diplomatic representative highlighted.
‘In two schools in particular, one in Matanzas and another in Artemisa, we donated school materials, televisions, and other implements to help both students and teachers’.
According to Yuliana, Cuba-Association of Southeast Asian Nations (Asean) cooperation is prolific and is intended to be taken in the coming years to a new level.
‘With the establishment of the Asean Committee in Havana, relations between the Government of Cuba and Cambodia, Indonesia, Laos, Malaysia, Myanmar and Vietnam were strengthened.
We also integrated Timor Leste, in its condition of Observer in Asean and in the process of becoming a permanent member of the organization’.
Cuba and Indonesia celebrated in February this year the 63rd anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic ties and, according to authorities, the conditions are in place to move towards greater collaboration in the economic-commercial area.
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