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Paidamoyo Chipunza Senior Reporter
Cuba is exploring other areas of cooperation with the Zimbabwean Government to further strengthening its bilateral ties following pronunciations by President Emmerson Mnangagwa that Zimbabwe is open for business.

Speaking to journalists soon after meeting Vice-President Kembo Mohadi at his Munhumutapa offices in Harare on Thursday, Cuban Ambassador Ms Carmelina Ramirez Rodriguez said Cuba’s co-operation with Harare was largely in areas of health and education.

“We were talking with the Vice President on the possibility of expanding our cooperation,” he said.

“As you know, we were very concentrated on health and education but now we could open to other areas of the economy.”

She said some of the areas Cuba could co-operate with Zimbabwe included tourism, development of pharmaceuticals and other technologies, as well as sports.

“Cuba has always concentrated on education and health because we are strong in preparing professionals,” said Ms Rodriguez.

“This has been our contribution to the Zimbabwean development.

“We could, however, open to sport, tourism, developing pharmaceuticals and other technologies.”

The relationship between Zimbabwe and Cuba dates back to the days of the liberation struggle when in 1978 the former president Robert Mugabe visited Cuba and the late Cde Fidel Castro pledged to open an office of the Cuban Ambassador to ZANU in Maputo, which he did in order to keep abreast of Zimbabwe’s liberation struggle.

A number of science teachers have also been sent to Cuba for training, while Cuban doctors are seconded to the country’s central and district hospitals in Harare, Marondera, Chinhoyi and Bulawayo and Gweru from time to time.

There are also Cuban professors working at Bindura University of Technology.