The Minister of Planning and Economic Development, Kenyeh Barlay, received the Ambassador of Cuba to Sierra Leone, H.E. Norma Sánchez Águila, and her delegation during a courtesy visit to the Minister’s Office.
The meeting brought together the Director of South-South and Triangular Cooperation at MoPED, Dr Robert Mokowa, senior planning officers, and members of the Cuban delegation to explore opportunities to strengthen the longstanding relationship between Sierra Leone and Cuba.
Discussions focused on cooperation in healthcare, education, agriculture, fisheries, professional training and private-sector investment. Ambassador Sánchez Águila reaffirmed Cuba’s commitment to strengthening bilateral relations. She recalled meeting Minister Barlay in 2025, when she presented her diplomatic credentials to President Bio, and expressed appreciation for the warmth and kindness the Minister showed her during that encounter.
The Ambassador commended Sierra Leonean students studying in Cuba, describing them as intelligent, disciplined, cooperative and passionate about their country. She praised their academic performance and conduct, highlighting the practical hospital training medical students receive and the Cuban Government’s support for outstanding students. She expressed confidence that the knowledge and skills they acquire would contribute to Sierra Leone’s development.
She also encouraged Sierra Leonean officials to engage with professionals trained in Cuba and recognise their specialist expertise. Drawing on Cuba’s experience with a similar initiative in Mozambique, the delegation explained that it had previously engaged the Ministry of Health and Pharmaceuticals but had yet to achieve the desired progress. It therefore sought Minister Barlay’s support in identifying a way forward through MoPED’s role in facilitating and coordinating development initiatives.
The Ambassador highlighted the proposed centre’s potential to provide specialised diabetes care, professional training and knowledge transfer. She also offered to contact the Cuban Ambassador in Mozambique to facilitate communication with the private operator of the diabetes clinic there, enabling Sierra Leonean stakeholders to learn from its experience.
Minister Barlay welcomed the proposal but stressed that establishing a diabetes centre would require proper assessment and identification of viable financing options. She noted that possible funding arrangements could include public-sector support, private investment or a public-private partnership. The Cuban delegation also submitted written notes on a cancer-related proposal and requested follow-up to establish its progress and assess its potential impact.
Minister Barlay also proposed that Dr Senesie, a Cuba-trained alumnus, help advance efforts to establish a diabetes association. She suggested creating an alumni network for Sierra Leoneans trained in Cuba to connect professionals, showcase their expertise and explore how their knowledge and experience could support national development.
The engagement reaffirmed the shared interest of Sierra Leone and Cuba in building on more than five decades of bilateral relations through practical cooperation in healthcare, education, agriculture, fisheries, professional training and investment in support of Sierra Leone’s development priorities.
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