Your Excellency Ambassador Fakri Rodriguez Pinelo;
Director-General of the Department of Trade, Industry and Competition, Mr Simphiwe Hamilton;
Dean of the Diplomatic Corps, Ambassador Salih Omar Abdu;
Dean of the GRULAC Group, H.E. José Luis Rivas Lopez;
Ambassadors and members of the Diplomatic Corps;
Ladies and Gentlemen:
It is indeed a great honour for me to deliver these remarks on the occasion of Cuba’s Liberation Day, which is celebrated each year on January 1st to commemorate the victory of the revolutionary forces led by the visionary Fidel Castro.
Today, we are celebrating the 67th Anniversary of the Cuban Revolution. This day not only marks the triumph of Cuba’s revolutionaries but also stands as a powerful symbol of the independence, resistance and resilience that has shaped Cuba’s history.
We deeply admire the sacrifices, tenacity, and strength of the Cuban people in defending their sovereignty and maintaining their independence under all odds.
South Africa and Cuba share a special bond rooted in history, solidarity, and a shared commitment to advancing the development agenda of the South. Cuba’s unwavering support and contributions during South Africa’s struggle against apartheid remains etched in our collective memory.
We are forever grateful for the sacrifices made by the Cuban people, who fought and stood alongside us in the battlefields during our darkest perilous hour of our painful struggle against the intransigent apartheid regime.
This bond of friendship is also reflected in the enduring legacy of Nelson Mandela, who held Fidel Castro and the Cuban people in the highest regard. President Mandela frequently spoke of the profound impact that Cuba’s solidarity had on the South African liberation movement.
From the Cuban forces who fought side by side with Angola to defend southern Africa’s independence, to the Cuban doctors, engineers, and educators who contributed to the development of our country, Cuba’s role in our struggle for freedom and justice is just immeasurable.
As President Mandela once said, “Cuba is the only country that has given us more than we ever asked for.”
Your Excellency,
As we celebrate this momentous occasion today, we also reaffirm our commitment to deepening our bilateral relations with Cuba. We continue to build on our shared history, strengthening cooperation across various sectors, including healthcare, education, public works, science and technology, arts, culture, and sport.
Our partnership serves as an exemplary model of South-South cooperation- a testament to the enduring friendship and solidarity between our two nations. We particularly appreciate Cuba’s ongoing support for South Africa’s efforts to deliver basic and essential services to our people.
Through the deployment of Cuban doctors, engineers, and technical experts across South Africa’s provinces, Cuba has played a vital role in addressing our country’s key developmental challenges and ensured delivery of basic services to our people.
Our bilateral relations are characterised by high-level political dialogue hinged on the pinnacle of annual meetings of the Joint Consultative Mechanism (JCM). The 18th session of the JCM, held on 29 July this year, marked yet another milestone in our historic relations of friendship and cooperation.
Your Excellency,
As we celebrate Cuba’s triumph today, we also reaffirm South Africa’s continued support for Cuba on the global stage. Cuba has proven itself to be a strategic partner for South Africa, particularly in regional and multilateral forums. Cuba’s leadership as President of the G77 plus China in 2023 was pivotal in enhancing South-South cooperation, particularly in critical areas such as achieving the UN Sustainable Development Goals and addressing the devastating effects of climate change on developing countries.
We are also delighted that Cuba has officially joined the BRICS+ partnership on 1 January 2025, strengthening our collective efforts in the global arena.
Cuba was one of the first countries to express its support for South Africa’s case of genocide filed against Israel at the International Court of Justice over Gaza. Both Cuba and South Africa will continue to work together to advocate for a just and peaceful resolution to conflicts worldwide.
South Africa remains resolute in advocating for the lifting of the US’s economic, commercial, and financial embargo against Cuba, which has continued to cause enormous socio-economic hardship for the Cuban people for the past 64 years. Notably, the embargo is a major impediment to the strengthening of trade and economic relations with Cuba.
South Africa also continues to call for Cuba’s removal from the US list of State Sponsors of Terrorism and will work with our international partners to ensure Cuba is treated with the respect and dignity it deserves as a sovereign nation.
Excellencies, Ladies and Gentlemen,
In the face of a complex and volatile global geopolitical environment, we must continue to strengthen our strategic partnerships with like-minded nations. Together, we must advocate for international solidarity, uphold international law, and work toward the peaceful resolution of conflicts. We must also address the pressing challenges of climate change, poverty, and inequality, which threaten the stability and prosperity of many nations.
It was in the same spirit that South Africa hosted rounding successes of the G20 Social Summit and G20 Leaders’ Summit, the first on the African soil. We guaranteed that our G20 Presidency was rooted in the conviction that the world needs more solidarity, equality, and sustainability.
Most importantly, we ensured that our G20 Presidency affirmed the indisputable strength and value of multilateralism in addressing global challenges. To this end, we call on Cuba’s support as we protect these gains from forces of unipolarity and unilateralism that seek to dimmish and obliterate collective efforts of all nations to address global problems that no nation can singlehandedly solve.
On behalf of the Government and the people of South Africa, I extend our warmest congratulations to the people of Cuba on this historic occasion. Let us raise our glasses to celebrate not only the triumph of the Cuban Revolution but also the lasting ties between South Africa and Cuba - ties rooted in shared struggles and bound by mutual respect.
To Cuba’s continued progress, to our bilateral relations, and to the enduring legacy of revolution, liberty, and solidarity!
Viva Cuba!
Viva South Africa!
Viva la Revolución Cubana!
Gracias! - I thank you!
