Chum Sounry, Secretary of State of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, led a delegation to Cuba from 24-28 June 2024 to explore the possibility of expanding bilateral cooperation between the two countries.
The two sides agreed to further efforts to deepen cooperation in trade, with a particular focus on expanding linkages between line ministries, chambers of commerce and the private sector through virtual meetings and delegation exchanges.
Agriculture
On the subject of agriculture, Deputy Foreign Minister Camejo expressed Cuba’s gratitude for Cambodia’s assistance and support in the field of rice, particularly the enhancement of Cuba's rice sector and its production capacity. Both parties agreed to implement the agreements reached between the two Ministries of Agriculture in full and to expedite the signing of an MoU on rice development in Cuba.
Health
On the subject of health, Secretary of State Sounry expressed gratitude to Cuba for its continued collaboration with Cambodia. This has included the provision of scholarships for general practitioners, the promotion of specialist doctors, the transfer of medical technology, the sending of doctors to treat cancer, diabetes and other illnesses, and the training of Cambodian doctors. He also commended Cuba’s assistance in enabling Cambodia to establish a specialized cancer hospital, thereby enhancing its capacity to treat the disease effectively.
Education
With regard to education, the Secretary of State thanked Cuba for offering scholarships to Cambodian students and called for more scholarships for medical, technical, and language training in Cuba, especially in postgraduate degrees. He suggested that both countries’ Education Ministries/institutions explore a tuition fee-free scheme, where students cover their own living expenses, which is currently popular among Latin American countries, to enable more Cambodian students to study in Cuba, particularly in medicine and pharmacology.
Sports
On the subject of sports, the Secretary of State expressed Cambodia’s gratitude for Cuba’s support during the 32nd SEA Game in Cambodia and encouraged the full implementation of the Agreement on Cooperation in the field of Physical Culture and Sports, signed in 2022 between Cambodia’s Ministry of Education, Youth and Sports and Cuba’s National Institute of Sports, Physical Education and Recreation.
Information
In the area of information, both sides committed to deepen cooperation by expanding the exchange of information to include more content related to culture, tradition, tourism, and trade. This will be achieved through exchange visits between journalists from both national news agencies.
Both sides agreed to encourage the effective implementation of the MoU on Cooperation and Cultural Exchange Program for 2022-2027 signed between the two countries’ Ministries of Culture in October 2022.
ASEAN
Furthermore, the meeting addressed the collaboration between ASEAN and Cuba in addition to the United Nations (UN) system. Additionally, there was a discussion about regional and international concerns of shared interest.
The consultations concluded with an agreement to maintain the dialogue and cooperation, with the next round of talks to take place in Phnom Penh at a mutually convenient date. He conveyed the greetings from Cambodian Foreign Minister Sok Chenda Sophea and his own message, expressing his hope to work closely with Minister Parrilla in advancing the relationship between the two nations.
Secretary of State Sounry provided Minister Parrilla with an overview of the main outcomes of the 3rd Bilateral Consultations. He highlighted the productive discussion on the strengthening and broadening of the bilateral cooperation, particularly in the areas of diplomatic, political and economic relations. He also touched upon some potential areas for collaboration, including education, health, agriculture, culture and sports.
Minister Parrilla and Secretary of State Sounry discussed the shared commitment to further enhance the cooperation in the ASEAN-Cuba relations framework and in the UN system and international organisations. They also had a discussion on ways to further strengthen ties in both bilateral and multilateral frameworks.
At a meeting with Maury Hechavarría Bermúdez, Deputy Minister of Agriculture, at the latter’s request to discuss the cooperation in the field of agriculture, the Secretary of State and the Deputy Minister expressed satisfaction with the progress achieved so far in agriculture cooperation and discussed ways to further enhance it.
The Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs conveyed to the Cuban authorities the Ministry of Agriculture and Rural Development of Cambodia’s desire to see the full implementation of the agreements reached between the two Ministries and to facilitate the procedure for signing a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) on rice development in Cuba in the near future.
During their time in Havana, Secretary of State Sounry and the delegation also had the opportunity to meet with Cambodian students currently studying in Cuba.