President of Kiribati in Cuba on Official Visit

[Stacey King]

HAVANA, Cuba, Dec 13 (acn)

The president of the Republic of Kiribati, Anote Tong, is in Cuba for an official visit at the invitation of the Cuban government. During his stay in the island, the visitor will hold official talks with his counterpart Raul Castro.

Tong was welcomed at Havana’s Jose Marti International Airport by Deputy Foreign Minister Dagoberto Rodriguez Barrera. Speaking to journalists, the head of state of Kiribati said he was very pleased to be in Cuba for the second time and to have the opportunity to exchange with Cuban authorities “in areas of common interest for both states.” Cuba and Kiribati established diplomatic relations on September 2, 2002.

Since 2008, a Cuban medical brigade of 14 doctors have been working in this island of the Micronesia, in the Pacific Ocean, where they have offered more than 308,400 consultations and have saved hundreds of lives.

Currently, 33 students from Kiribati are studying in Cuba —31 of them in medicine

ACN-Cuban News Agency