Mr Yuri Pimentel, Venezuela’s Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs, has said that stronger collaborations between the South American country and Africa would help boost their economies.
Pimentel made this known during the Commemoration of the 5th Anniversary of the death of Fidel Castro in Caracas, Venezuela.
The event tagged; “South African-Cuban People; Solidarity with Cuba” was organised to commemorate the role of Castro in African Liberation.
According to Pimentel, South America and Africa are brothers and the continents with highest deposits of natural resources, and strengthened collaboration will help harness those resources even better.
He, however, noted that it was time for leaders of both continents to come together, strengthen collaboration that would help in developing countries of the regions into becoming the world’s best.
“Between our two regions, South America and Africa, we have about 90 per cent of the world’s resources to do things, to improve our conditions of life and to develop ourselves.
“Now what we do is to transfer our raw materials without adding value. So I really do think that increasing the cooperation between our two continents is strategic for both of us.
“In 2006, under the administration of ex-President Olusegun Obasanjo of Nigeria, we had the first meeting of the African-South American Summit in Nigeria, then 2009, it was in Venezuela and in 2013, it was in Equatorial Guinea.
“We have to do more on that cooperation. The cooperation we need is in health, education, transportation, trade, production, industry, agriculture and lots more.
“We are doing a lot of things together, but we have to do more,” Pimentel said.
Pimentel said the commemoration of the day was also very important to Venezuelans because of the great relationship between both countries, Castro and Commander Chavez.
The Minister added that both countries had established great relations and solidarity with a goal to giving citizens the best of life.
“As you know, in the case of Venezuela, we have a very close relationship, friendship and solidarity with Cuba, we have worked together, especially in so many social programmes since the Bolivarian Republic started with Commander Hugo Chavez.
“We received help from Cuba to end illiteracy, we have received lots of help from Cuba, especially with doctors and medical staff to create a new health system.
“Together with Cuba, we created a new social mission to help operate people with eye problems, and we have done more than six million operations all around Latin America and even across Africa.
“It is a big day because Fidel was very close to Venezuela and Commander Hugo Chavez.
“We also remember the importance of Cuba and Fidel in the African struggle for independence and freedom, especially in the South region of Africa.
“The Cuban troops were essential to defeat the apartheid regime of South Africa in 1998, which guaranteed the freedom of Angola, the Independence of Namibia and the end of apartheid in South Africa,” Pimentel said.
Mr Joseph Nkosi, South African Ambassador to Venezuela said the day was greatly important to Southern Africa because of the role and sacrifice of Castro for its freedom.
Nkosi said Cuba had never asked them for anything in return, and so the only way to show appreciation was giving solidarity, and extending same to to Venezuela.
“Southern Africa; especially Angola, Namibia, South Africa, today is a crucial day for us to have this event with Cuba and we always mark it here in Venezuela.
“It is also important to have this event with Venezuela in solidarity with them, especially with the imposition of the blockade by the United States on Venezuela and Cuba.
“It is important to develop that relationship between South Africa, Cuba and Venezuela, to ensure that all their contributions during the apartheid era, and also politically and economically.
“They have done a lot for us without asking for a cent, and that is why we need to support the Cuban people,” Nkosi said.
