Embassy of Cuba in New Zealand

Newsletter

No. 16

16 June 2013

18th - 20th FORMA International Meeting on Design

2nd – 5th July International meeting on Autism and Inclusion

China and Cuba to Advance Cooperation in Agriculture

June 8th

China and Cuba expressed their interest in keeping advancing bilateral cooperation in agriculture, innovation and scientific exchange, official sources reported on Saturday.

The issue was addressed by Cuban Agriculture minister Gustavo Rodriguez during a meeting in Beijing with his Chinese counterpart Han Changfu.

The Chinese government official recalled a recent visit to Cuba in which he met with the historic leaders of the Cuban Revolution and he stressed the importance of implementing a cooperation program signed by the two Agriculture ministries during the visit to China by President Raul Castro last year.

The two parties agreed that although some actions have been taken on the basis of the accord, there is mutual interest in the advancement of that program.

Minister Han Changfu also expressed his willingness to further increase scientific and technical exchange and innovation in the industrial and agriculture sectors.

The two agriculture ministers exchanged views on the measures being implemented by the Cuban government in the sector. The Cuban official briefed his host about the transformations that are underway in the area as part of the update of the island’s economic sector.

Cancer, Major Cause for Death in Cuba

HAVANA, Cuba, June 8 (acn) Cancer became the first cause of death in Cuba followed by heart and cerebro-vascular conditions, in a country whose expectancy of life is set at 78.2 years for men and 81.3 years for women.

In 2012, Cancer was the cause of 25 percent of all death occurred in Cuba, with 59 percent of the victims being citizens below 75 years age, which  is considered by experts as premature mortality, according to Granman newspaper.

Doctor Idalia Cardero, a specialist with the Epidemiological Department of the Cuban Health Ministry, said that major factors of risk are the smoking habit, inappropriate diet, obesity, lack of physical activity and the harmful consumption of alcohol, which are all preventable.

According to research studies between 2001 and 2010, there is an increasing trend in the smoking habit despite a global reduction of that activity in adult persons. This means that there is a precocious start of the habit in the case of adolescents, However, the study revealed that the global smoking trend in adults went down to 23.7 percent in 2010 against a 32 percent in 2001.

The consumption of alcohol also increases in adolescents and in the female population, although  health authorities discourage the consumption of this products by youths below 21 years of age, bearing in mind that the brains develops up to that period of life, the doctor said.

There is also a growing trend in the adult population undergoing overweight and obesity, with values that vary between 32 percent in 1995 to 47.6 percent in 2011.

The individual consumption of salt by the Cuban population surpasses recommended amounts below 5 grams a day, and in most cases most of that salt is consumed in processed meats and cereals.

Cuba Bets to Renewable Energy to Produce Electricity

June 10th

Cuba is progressively developing renewable energy projects in an effort to stop depending on fossil fuels.

The setting up of wind farms, solar energy facilities, biomass and biogas plants as well as a large number of windmills are part of the Cuban renewable energy strategy, presented by experts at the recently concluded 12 World Wind Energy Conference.

These projects also include the building of a 50-megawatt wind farm in eastern Las Tunas province, a solar panel complex in Guantanamo, also in the east of the island, and other facilities to use biogas obtained in hog-raising places.

Last December, the Cuban government passed a decree law establishing a commission in charge of drawing up a renewable energy promotion policy.

Cuban Economists in Congress

June 13th

Some 250 Cuban economists and accountants are analyzing issues relevant to Cuban economy during the 7th Congress of their national association, which opened doors Thursday at Havana’s Conventions Centre.

The contribution by the National Association of Cuban Economists and Accountants to finding solutions to current problems of Cuban economy is high on the agenda of the meeting, which will pay homage to Cuban-Argentinean guerrilla fighter Ernesto Che Guevara and to outstanding

scholar Carlos Rafael Rodriguez, whose ideas in the economic field provide answers to may questions posed by current challenges.

A series of specialized commissions are discussing presentations on management systems, financial schemes, tax collection, industrial and agricultural development and the performance of cooperatives.

The economists will also addressed issues related to insurance, trade, statistics, imports and exports, according to the congress’ organizing committee.

During the conference, executives with the National Association of Economists and Accountants will present the plan of actions for the upcoming working period, while the performance of association members will be acknowledged.

FAO Recognizes Cuba for Having Met Millennium Goals

June 12th

Cuba and other 37 nations of Latin America and Africa were congratulated today by the United Nations Food and Agriculture Organization (FAO), for having met the millennium goals in this sector two years before the deadline.

Cuba is one of the 189 countries that in September 2000 adopted the Millennium Declaration, endorsing the principles and objectives agreed to realize the goals by 2015.

These 38 nations pave the way for a better future-proof that with strong political will, coordination and cooperation, it is possible to achieve rapid and lasting reductions of hunger, José Graziano da Silva, director general of the FAO, cited by news agencies, stressed in Rome.

Two years before the end of the program, the organization welcomes the efforts of those States to eradicate hunger, showing that on food change is possible, even quickly, Da Silva stated.

Among the MGs are included full access to adequate food, avoid stunting of children, ensuring the sustainability of the food system, to achieve increased productivity and avoid wasting food.

Globally, hunger has declined in the last decade, but still 870 million people are undernourished, and millions of human beings suffer from malnutrition, FAO Secretary-General said.

Latin American Parliament Addressed Crucial Regional Issues

8th June

With the adoption of a frame legislation on important regional issues, the session of the Latin American Parliament (PARLATINO) closed Friday in Havana.

Urban security and the promotion of medical attention were high on the agenda of the meeting and major issues on the document adopted by the organization.

During the Havana session, Parlatino legislators also addressed other important issues, such as drug trafficking, security forces and legislations that allowed addressing common issues in this part of the world under the umbrella of current regional policies.

At the end of the working session, the Parliament’s health commission concluded that the nations with the regional body, which was founded in 1964, in Peru, will take actions particularly aimed at fighting non-transmissible chronic diseases and other conditions, which are common to the zone.

Health commission president Luis Velasquez said that the deputies also addressed issues relevant to the protection of patients, doctors and the system in general.

The meeting also allowed drawing up policies and sharing knowledge in the benefit of the countries, said Velasquez. The next meeting of the Latin American Parliament will be held in Mexico.

Solar Energy Complex to be Raised in Eastern Cuba

10th June

A 2.5 megawatt solar energy complex, which will be hooked to the National Power System, is being raised in the eastern city of Guantanamo.

The facility, which will expand along 5 hectares of land, is considered the most important of its kind in this province, since it will count on 10 thousand 800 solar panels, said Ismael Matos, investor with the local Hydro-energy Entrepreneurial Unit.

Matos said that the project, which is expected to be fully implemented in December, is part of the strategy adopted by the 6th Congress of the Cuban Communist Party to develop renewable energy sources.

The renewable energy programs promoted by Revolution leader Fidel Castro in remote rural areas have benefitted 410 schools, 165 collective TV rooms, 20 social facilities and over 500 homes.

WFP to Support Food Project in Cuba

12th June

The World Food Program (WFP) will provide financial support to grain production in the Cuban provinces of Guantanamo and Matanzas, Juventud Rebelde newspaper reported.

Such cooperation shall be addressed to kindergartens, primary and special schools, as well as junior high boarding schools in those territories.

Ertharin Cousin, WFP Executive Director met with officials of the Cuban Ministry of Education to discuss the support that UN body will provide to feed of Cuban students.

The UN official praised the Cuban educational system and told she feels happy the collaboration will reach schools where children learn and get prepared for life.

Many countries have nutrition programs they cannot carry out due to lack of government support, which is not what we have seen in Cuba, Cousin said.

She noted her pleasure for WFP to contribute to the sustainability of Cuba’s achievements in educational sphere, and in its efforts to eliminate bad eating habits in young people.

Meanwhile, Cira Piñeiro, First Deputy Minister of Education, highlighted the massive and free character of Cuban educational system, including feeding of boarding schools students.

Such cooperation will diversify and ensure the supply of grains in school foods, but not the quantity, because the current norm is consistent with nutritional levels according to age and is supported by the Ministry of Public Health, Piñeiro noted.

President of Sao Tome and Principe to Visit Cuba

June 15th

The president of Sao Tome and Principe, Manuel Pinto da Costa, will visit Cuba from June 15-19 to strengthen bilateral ties.

The president's agenda includes a tribute to Cuban National Hero Jose Martí and a visit to the Latin American School of Medicine (ELAM), where young people from that country are studying.

At present, about 42 youths from Sao Tome are studying in Cuba, 33 of whom are linked to health, eight to education and one to sport.

Cuba and Sao Tome and Principe established diplomatic relations on April 10, 1976. That African nation has maintained a historic stance condemning the U.S.-imposed blockade of Cuba.

From 1977 to date, about 359 Cuban collaborators have worked in that nation, the smallest of the African continent.

During these years of relations, nearly 640 youths from Sao Tome and Principe have received training in Cuba.

Brazilian Convention Solidarity with Cuba Holds Final Session

June 14th

The 21st Brazilian Convention of Solidarity with Cuba began its final session today in the southern city of Foz de Iguazu with exhibits on the island's healthcare system and experiences of friendship movements.

More than 400 delegates from solidarity groups and Jose Martí associations throughout Brazil attended a lecture by Dr. Angel Mauro Alfonso Fernández, who spoke on the program on primary healthcare and international cooperation in this field.

The challenges of the Latin American integration process and the experiences of solidarity movements are other issues to be discussed today at this meeting, being held in the House of Councilors in this city, bordering Argentina and Paraguay.

Socorro Gomes, of the Brazilian Center of Solidarity with the Peoples and Struggle for Peace, demanded yesterday the departure of U.S. troops from the naval base in Guantanamo, a Cuban territory illegally occupied by the United States.

Despite the economic and financial blockade imposed by the White House for more than 50 years against Cuba, that nation is a sovereign country that has the best healthcare system in the world, Gomes said.

One of the guests to this meeting, Adriana Pérez, wife of Gerardo Hernández, one of the five Cuban antiterrorist fighters unjustly held in the United States in 1998, requested support for the release of these men, universally known as the Cuban Five, imprisoned for monitoring groups organizing terrorist actions against Cuba from Miami.

Perez denounced human rights violations by Washington, which has denied visa to visit her husband the12 times she has requested it.

Gerardo Hernandez, Ramon Labañino, Antonio Guerrero, and Fernando González, are currently serving harsh sentences despite strong international pressure so the U.S. government release them. Meanwhile, Rene González, was released from prison in supervised release, and he is in Havana, after renouncing his U.S. citizenship.

Cuba to Host 15th Nursing Congress

June 13th

The 15th Cuban Nursing Congress will be held in Havana on June 17-21, focused on topics related to sexual and reproductive health.

Healthy lifestyles, gender-related issues, knowledge and information about sexuality, family planning/contraceptive methods and responsible sexual conduct are among issues to be discussed in the meeting.

Other issues for discussion include aspects related to responsible motherhood and fatherhood, pregnancy, prevention of risky behaviours and menopause.

Several pre-congress courses will be taught by renowned local and foreign experts, and participants will visit places of interest, according to the official website of the event.

The congress is sponsored by the Public Health Ministry of Cuba, the National Council of Health Scientific Societies, the Nursery Network Organization (PAHO/WHO), the Nursery Development Foundation (Fuden) and the Nursery Foundation of Castile and Leon (Fecyl)

Embassy of the Republic of Cuba in New Zealand

76 Messines Rd, Karori, Wellington 6012

www.cubadiplomatica.cu/nuevazelanda/EN/Home.aspx

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