Date: Tue, 27 Feb 1996 13:34:22 -0200North West Premier Mr Popo Molefe on Monday (today) signed an agreement twinning his province with the province of Santiago de Cuba in Cuba.
The agreement establishes fraternal relations between the two provinces and provides for exchanges in the fields of Education, Health, Culture, Technology as well as economic cooperation.
Earlier in the day the Premier placed a wreath on the grave of the Cuban National Hero, Jose Maarti, who was killed in the war of Independence from Spain in 1895.
The Premier's delegation, accompanied by Santiago de Cuba head Dr Luis Estruch Rancano and senior members of the Cuban Provincial Assembly, also had an opportunity to visit the site where the remains of the Cuban war heroes who died in the liberation struggles in Africa in 1975 lie.
Amongst those buried at the site are soldiers who fought at Cuito Canavale in the victory over South African forces in Angola.
The North West delegation, led by Premier Molefe, have met the following:
The North West delegation has also been accompanied by a business delegation who are investigating possibilities for investment in Cuba. Throughout the visit, the North West delegation has been accompanied by the South African Ambassador to Cuba, Mr. John Nkadimeng.
For further details, contact Mr Willie Modise at 082-5584-087 or (1040) 842686/899306
Taking into consideration the mutual interest to strengthen the existing fraternal relations between the peoples of South Africa and Cuba and desirous to bring even closer together the fraternal links between their respective inhabitants, both Provinces deem it convenient to act accordingly through the reciprocal exchange of knowledge on their history, culture, customs, traditions and by establishing links guided by the interests of their respective populations.
Both Parties coincide that this Twinning Agreement provided an ideal occasion to materialise their sisterhood by promoting a wider cooperation in all possible fields.
The Premier of North West Province, Popo Simon Molefe, and the President of the Provincial Assembly of People's Power of Santiago de Cuba Province, agree to subscribe the following Twinning Agreement to the purposes expressed above:
To declare the North West Province of the Republic of South Africa and Santiago de Cuba Province of the Republic of Cuba Twin Sisters Provinces, thus strengthening even more the existing bonds of friendship between the two.
The authorities of the two Provinces shall work to create conditions in order to develop their cooperation by exchanging information and seeking to establish exchange programs on health, sciences, education, sports, culture and other fields of mutual interest.
Both Parties agree to exchange experiences and information also on the political and social fields as well as to exchange T.V. programs, films, lectures and other means, thus facilitating a deeper knowledge on the histories, social life, culture and traditions from and to the populations of the respective Provinces.
North West and Santiago de Cuba Provinces shall facilitate and promote economic and commercial links between South African and Cuban business men and enterprises of the respective Provinces, thus contributing to the development of this important sector between the two countries.
The fields of cooperation hereby agreed upon by the Provinces, which are to be conducted along the lines of the protocols attached hereto and executed within the framework of the foreign policies of their respective parent counties, could be extended to other fields if and when both Parties so jointly decide for the benefit of their respective inhabitants.