Sierra Leone’s Minister of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation, Mrs Nabeela Farida Tunis on Tuesday hosted a brief dinner for the sixteen Cuban Medical Specialists who arrived in the shores of Sierra Leone on July 16^th, 2020 to help the country fight against the deadly COVID-19 pandemic.

Welcoming the Medical Specialists at the brief ceremony which was held at the Sierra Light House, Aberdeen, Freetown, Minister Nabeela Tunis said their arrival was a long journey with hours of discussions and moments of concerns that have resulted in the Government receiving a very prestigious set of people from a country with which Sierra Leone shares vision with. She reiterated the statement made by His Excellency President Julius Maada Bio.at the Presentation ceremony which was held at State House hat the support given by the Cuban Government indicated their commitment in solidifying the long standing bilateral relations between the two countries.

Minister Tunis said the presence of the Specialists marked the continuation of a journey of interaction and lot of learning experiences that the Government believes will be of benefit to the country. The Foreign Minister assured the Cuban Medical Specialists that their stay would be a memorable one.

The Cuban Charge d’ Affairs in Sierra Leone, Mr. Felix Raul Rojas Cruz in his brief remarks said Sierra Leone was the first country in Africa to have established diplomatic ties with Cuba years back and that the Cuban Government has always been there to answer to the call of Sierra Leone during challenging times.

The arrival of the Cuban Doctors and Nurses he said was not new as during the Ebola and Mudslide crises, the Government of Cuba sent in medical Specialists to assist the Government and people of Sierra Leone in combating those crises and that during the COVID-19 pandemic, Cuban Doctors have come again to assist.

This the Charge d’ Affairs said is an indication of the strong and cordial bilateral ties that the two countries are enjoy.

The Permanent Secretary of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation said Sierra Leone and Cuba had a common history adding that the coming of the Doctors in Sierra Leone in particular and Africa as a whole is part of the President Fidel Castro’s dream of making sure Cubans and Africans live as one.

The ceremony was attended by the DG, Mrs. Florence Nyawa Bangalie, Directors, Deputy Directors and senior staff of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs and International Cooperation and senior management staff of the Ministry of Health and Sanitation as well as NACOVERC officials.

    

 

(MFAIC Press Office Freetown)