First Item on Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez’s Program in Belarus is Negotiations with Lukashenko

The President of Cuba, Miguel Díaz-Canel Bermúdez, has arrived in Belarus on an official visit. The aircraft carrying the Cuban leader landed less than an hour ago at Minsk National Airport.

The first item on the agenda is negotiations with the President of Belarus. The meeting between the two leaders will take place at the Independence Palace.

Indeed, when talking about a friendship tested by time, Minsk and Havana can certainly serve as examples. The presidents have not met in an official visit format for six years.

In 2019, Díaz-Canel Bermúdez visited Minsk for talks with Alexander Lukashenko. At that time, he was called the new president, and it was one of the first foreign visits by the Cuban leader. This also speaks volumes. However, the strong foundation of relations between Belarus and Cuba was built back when Fidel Castro was in power, followed by Raúl Castro, and it continues to be strengthened today.

An interesting fact: in 2019, Díaz-Canel Bermúdez became the president — the first in 43 years! Cuba had abolished this post for a long time, but the country’s new Constitution, adopted in 2019, restored this position. And he has held it ever since.

Active ties between our countries, a high level of political contacts, shared views on geopolitics, and mutual support on the international stage — all of this describes Minsk and Havana perfectly. Our countries are used to forging their own paths, which has led to serious sanctions pressure. An economic, financial, and trade blockade has been in place for more than 60 years. Official Minsk has repeatedly expressed its support for Cuba without hesitation, and Havana certainly appreciates this.

During the leaders’ negotiations today, we can expect to hear political statements about mutual support. But equally important are the economic prospects — the presidents will outline areas for future cooperation. In terms of industry, it’s clear that our equipment — from Soviet times — is well known on Cuba, including our tractors and trucks.

The food sector is also a key point in our export program. Specifically, this concerns the supply of dry milk. A few years ago, headlines highlighted Cuba’s severe economic crisis, and milk became the most shortage-prone product in the country.

In this regard, Havana has created a safety cushion through partnerships with Belarusian companies. About 20 of our dairy enterprises have passed certification in Cuba.