Cuba, Haiti sign collaboration agreements

Cuba and Haiti signed eight collaboration agreements Wednesday on health, education, agriculture, food, and iron and steel industries. The agreements' signing ceremony was chaired by Cuban Vice President Esteban Lazo and Haitian President Michel Martelly, who arrived Tuesday in Havana for a three-day visit to boost the bilateral collaboration ties. The agreement on health formalized a 14-year collaboration under which Cuba will provide Haiti with a medical team of 723 members and activities to modernize Haiti's hospitals and welfare centers. Cuba is also committed to increase its presence in the literacy campaign performed in Haiti in the education agreement. The economic agreements included sending Cuban experts to help with the Haitian sugar industry, aquaculture, sanitary inspection, and the control of animal diseases. Cuban President Raul Catro met with Martelly on Tuesday and the two leaders praised the "excellent" state of the bilateral friendship and economic links, and reaffirmed their willingness to defend their common interests and address problems affecting the region, such as the food insecurity and climate change. Cuba and Haiti re-established formal relations in 1996, and two years later, Havana started cooperation with Port au Prince.