VP Taylor meets with Cuban Charge’ D’Affairs

Vice President Jewel Howard-Taylor has received in audience the Charge’ D’Affairs of the Embassy of the Republic of Cuba Carmen Maury Toledo.

The meeting which was held Monday, June 11, 2018 at the Office of the Vice President, centered on strengthening bilateral relations between Liberia and Cuba in the areas of Education and Health.

The Charge’ D’Affairs recounted that Liberia and Cuba has established bilateral relations since 1974, and over the last 20 years, Cuba has offered more than 30 scholarships to Liberia for medical students.

Mr. Toledo According to a release from the VP’s office, indicated that Cuba has provided annual scholarships to five (5) Liberians in the Medical field, which is being reduced to two (2) due to financial difficulties experienced by the Cuban government.

The Charge’ D’Affairs further revealed that Cuba currently has 6,000 doctors in 29 African Countries providing trainings and health care delivery assistance. He intimated that the Cuban government has a draft agreement with the previous government to provide employment for 16 Cuban doctors at the JFK Medical Center and other medical facilities across the country including the rural areas.

The Agreement has been forwarded to the Ministry of Foreign Affairs pending discussions and signing.Mr. Toledo also disclosed that Cuba has a private arrangement with the Island Clinic in Liberia to provide eight (8) medical doctors who will arrive in Liberia anytime soon.

‘On the Educational front, Mr. Toledo also expressed the Cuban government’s willingness to support Liberia’s literacy program. This initiative has been implemented in 26 Countries and has impacted more than 9 million people. The Literacy program seeks to provide reading and writing skills to youth and Adults who are disadvantaged or live in rural communities where there is no access to formal education. These teachings can also be done in local vernaculars’’ the Charge’ D’Affairs averred.

Speaking earlier, the Vice President expressed delight about the role Cuba has played and continues to play in the Health and Educational sectors of Liberia. Madam Howard-Taylor explained the Government of Liberia’s Pro-Poor Agenda and how Cuba can be a major partner in the actualization of the Agenda.

She committed herself to follow-up with the Ministry of Foreign Affairs on the draft agreement and the possibility of formalizing it, which will bring in Cuban Doctors to help Liberia’s Health sector through training and provision of services.

The Vice President on behalf of President George Weah extended profound gratitude to the Government and people of Cuba for their continuous support to Liberia.-Press release