Army General Raúl Castro, leader of the Cuban Revolution, and Miguel Díaz-Canel, First Secretary of the Central Committee of the Communist Party of Cuba and President of the Republic, expressed in a letter to João Lourenço, President of Angola, their interest in strengthening ties between the two countries.

The letter was delivered today to the Angolan head of state during an audience at the Presidential Palace in Cidade Alta, Luanda, by Oscar León, Cuba’s ambassador to Angola, the Cuban Ministry of Foreign Affairs (Minrex) reported on its official website.

Speaking to the press after the meeting, the Cuban diplomat said that the letter from Raúl Castro and Díaz-Canel “reflects the mutual interest in strengthening and expanding bilateral cooperation, in a year that marks the 50th anniversary of the establishment of diplomatic relations, on November 15.”

He affirmed that the commemoration will be “an excellent opportunity to deepen the friendship between the peoples and expand cooperation in all possible areas.”

León added that during the audience he discussed with the Angolan president the state of bilateral relations and informed him of actions to implement the agreements and instruments signed between the two nations.

He specifically mentioned those signed in 2023, when the Cuban president visited Luanda in August, followed by the Angolan head of state’s visit to Havana in September of the same year.

Minrex emphasized that Cuba and Angola maintain historic relations, marked by Cuban military cooperation since 1975, the training of Angolan professionals on the island, as well as collaboration in health, education, and other sectors.