By Ana Margarita González
The 40th anniversary of diplomatic relations between Cuba and the Gambia was celebrated in a ceremony held at the Liliana Dimitrova Research Institute in Quivicán, where one of its specialists brought to the brother country experiences on how to obtain food without advanced technologies.
After observing a documentary with the results of those productions, Her Excellency Mrs. Kujejatou Manneh, ambassador of The Gambia in Cuba, expressed her gratitude for the collaboration of the Island in the field of Public Health, since at present a hundred doctors Cubans provide their services throughout the African nation; and in agricultural matters, one of the edges that he is most interested in taking to his country, and to the exchange between both nations.
She said she wanted to establish collaborative projects in the agricultural field, as she saw images of how much can be achieved in those lands.
She said she was very happy with that visit to the research center, something she had wanted to do for a long time, and she was amazed to see the production of vegetable seedlings in cultivation houses, from where she asked to take some, because in the patio of her house there is enough space to plant.
Fervent admirer of the agronomy, the ambassador was interested to know the details of this type of production, whose destiny is the commercialization of the seeds to the producers to obtain higher yields and quality of the vegetables.
Since the same revolutionary triumph Cuba has supported the just cause of the African countries in their struggles against the Western powers, nations that have had coincidence of anti-imperialist positions in multiple international scenarios, including the Movement of Non-Aligned Countries.
The Solidarity Day with Gambia, whose 40th anniversary will be celebrated on May 19, served to recall the efforts of the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, Fidel Castro, who in 1966 sent the first medical brigade to the Gambia to save lives and hopes, which enjoy the recognition of his government; and in 1999 he founded a medical school in the city of Banjul to train the Gambian doctors themselves, who could provide medical assistance in their communities.
It was also recognized that in the activity of agriculture, the first economic line of that country, some Cuban experts have provided technical advice.
The Republic of the Gambia, a West African State with limited economic resources, was one of the first countries in that region to send messages of condolence and solidarity after the devastating tornado that hit Havana on January 27.
Also present were Mr. Charles Cámara, deputy head and Lamin Jammeh, first secretary of the Gambia mission in Cuba, officials of the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of Cuba, and Alicia Fernández, director of the Liliana Dimitrova Research Institute.