The Namibian (Windhoek)
19 November 2007
Posted to the web 19 November 2007
Windhoek
The current low volume of trade between Namibia and Cuba has left much
to be desired, both countries have noted.
Currently, the two countries' trade rate is only at 0,4 per cent. Cuba
exports sugar, branded drinks, aspirin and anti-retroviral drugs while
Namibia only exports beef, marble and fish mackerel to that country.
"Namibia and Cuba has strong bond of political harmony, but it is very
strange that the trade and economic part have been left behind," said
Minister of Fisheries and Marine Resources Dr Abraham Iyambo on
Thursday. Iyambo said Cuba has a lot of products that Namibia can import.
The products include pharmaceutical products and childrens' vaccines.
The visiting Minister of Foreign Investments and Economic Co-operation,
Marta Morales, added to this saying: "If there is something we are not
satisfied with, it is the low volume of trade between the two
countries." She attributed the low volume of trade between the two
countries to the long distance between Namibia and Cuba.
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She also noted that due to the distance, the shipping is very expensive.
"But we are discussing how we can improve our trading systems," she
said. "We are trying to identify more products for export and import
between our two countries. It is our objective and high expectation that
the trade volume between the two countries is improved." The two
ministers were speaking at the closing of the Cuba-Namibia Joint
Commission which ended in Windhoek on Thursday. During the Joint
Commission the two parties agreed the revision of the agreement on health.
The parties also agreed to implement bilateral agreements in the sectors
of youth, culture and sports. It was also agreed to implement
co-operation in the sector of labour.
The minister and her entourage left for South Africa on Thursday.
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