21
Sep
Sep
NIGERIA AND CUBA EXPLORE DEEPER PARLIAMENTARY TIES FOR MUTUAL BENEFIT
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CapitalTimesNews / 5 months
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- 2 min read
Speaker of the House of Representatives, Rt. Hon. Abbas Tajudeen, has called for strengthened parliamentary diplomacy between Nigeria and Cuba to foster medical exchanges, academic collaboration, joint research and targeted investments. Chief Press Secretary to the Deputy Speaker, Levinus Nwabughiogu, in a statement, said Speaker Tajudeen emphasized tangible outcomes from the partnership, including Memoranda of Understanding, ratified agreements and funded programs. Levinus Nwabughiogu highlighted the Speaker’s remarks during a courtesy visit by a Cuban delegation led by Hon. Fernando González Llort, a Cuban hero and President of the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples. Levinus Nwabughiogu noted the Speaker, represented by Deputy Speaker Benjamin Kalu, stressed Nigeria’s foreign policy prioritizes partnerships promoting peace, development and shared prosperity. “Nigeria’s foreign policy, guided by African solidarity and cooperation across the Global South, continues to prioritise partnerships that promote peace, development, and shared prosperity,” Speaker Tajudeen said. He recognized Cuba’s parliamentary solidarity legacy and proposed strategic areas for collaboration including health diplomacy, trade, culture, biotechnology and pharmaceuticals. Speaker Tajudeen highlighted minimal bilateral trade, citing US$2,380 Nigerian imports from Cuba in 2024, but stressed deep cultural ties in music, sports and literature could boost opportunities. “Parliamentary diplomacy must yield real outputs: MOUs, ratified agreements, and funded programmes,” he stated. Cuba’s achievements in health, like the Abdala COVID-19 vaccine with 92% efficacy against severe disease, and over 1,200 doctors deployed globally, present collaboration potential. “Nigeria sees this relationship as a balanced exchange,” Tajudeen noted, valuing Cuba’s expertise while Cuba benefits from Nigeria’s market and resources. Cuban Ambassador Miriam Morales Palmer and Hon. Fernando González Llort lauded Nigeria-Cuba ties, working on mutual interests. Llort invited Deputy Speaker Kalu to Cuba for further parliamentary diplomacy discussions.
