The tenth Ambassador of the Republic of Cuba to Seychelles, Mr. Orlando Alvarez Alvarez, presented his credentials to President James Michel at State House this morning.

After the accreditation ceremony Ambassador Alvarez Alvarez told the national media that Seychelles and Cuba are in process of preparing a Memorandum of Understanding in Agriculture for signing at a later date. He confirmed that Cuba will keep on assisting Seychelles in various fields of cooperation, such as in education, health care among others.

Discussion with the President centred on different avenues of cooperation to further consolidate the bilateral relations between the two countries which will add impetus to the development of the relations for the future.

“We are ready to keep and continue to expand the cooperation between Seychelles and Cuba in different areas that we can. Our two countries are like ‘sister nations’, we have so many things in common. We are islands with the same difficulties, we have the same things to worry about being islands, such as the issues of Climate Change and resources. We both have an economy based on agriculture.... and in our culture, if you look at a Seychellois in Havana, you won’t say if this person is a Seychellois and vice versa. So, there are many things in common and there also a long history of relationship between our leaders, “ said Mr. Alvarez Alvarez.

Also present during the meeting were the Secretary of State in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Ambassador Barry Faure, President's Diplomatic Adviser, Ambassador Callixte D'Offay. Ambassador Orlando Alvarez Alvarez, is based in Seychelles.