South Africa and Cuba have signed an agreement for continued cooperation in water resources management and water supply.
Signed during the fifth session of the South Africa–Cuba joint steering committee held in Pretoria on November 25, the agreement ensures the continuity of the cooperation on water and sanitation between both nations that started in 2001.
It also reiterated both countries’ commitment to continue strengthening the bilateral cooperation for mutual benefit.
Water and Sanitation Minister David Mahlobo and National Institute of Hydraulic Resources of Cuba first VP Bladimir Matos Moya have welcomed the progress made and the important achievements attained in this bilateral cooperation.
This included the deployment of Cuban specialists across South Africa to assist as advisers at provincial, municipal and local levels with the maintenance and management of water supply and sanitation infrastructure, as well as the strategic planning of those resources, particularly in rural and other disadvantaged communities.
The agreement expands and diversifies the areas of cooperation and emphasises the need to focus on capacity-building, through the development of training courses in Cuba and South Africa that will be tailor-made to support national, provincial and local South African technical and professional staff.
The next South Africa-Cuba steering committee meeting is scheduled to be held in September 2022, in Havana, Cuba.