President Mamnoon Hussain on Tuesday underlined the need for building a mutually beneficial relationship between Pakistan and Cuba. He was talking to Pakistan's Ambassador-designate to Cuba Kamran Shafi who called on him at Aiwan-e-Sadr. The President felicitated the Ambassador-designate on his appointment to Cuba and expressed the hope that his tenure in Cuba would prove highly conducive to bilateral relations between Pakistan and Cuba.
He said that the longstanding partnership between the two countries was marked by close friendship and cordiality thereby forming the basis for multi-dimensional co-operation. The President mentioned that the parliaments of both countries had been maintaining close co-operation in the past through the exchange of visits and expressed hope that this upward trajectory of bilateral relations would be maintained in the future as well. He also emphasised on further strengthening political, economic and cultural bonds between the two countries.
The President observed that while bilateral trade between Pakistan and Cuba had increased substantially during the past years, but it was still not at par with the potential that existed between the two countries. He further noted that while trade was the domain of businessmen, but it was the government's job to provide a conducive environment for trade activities.
He underlined the need for both countries to encourage traders to participate in the trade fairs held in the two countries not only to showcase their products but also to identify opportunities for further expanding trade relations. The President called for focusing on the scope for building co-operation in other areas including medical research, disaster management, biotechnology, higher education, culture, sports and tourism. He highlighted that Pakistan could also benefit from Cuban experiences in the areas of medical science and healthcare.