Pictured at the Reception, L-R: Former Governor-General, Sir Arthur Foulkes and Lady Joan Foulkes; Acting Minister of Foreign Affairs, and Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Works and Urban Development, the Hon. Philip Davis; Ambassador of The Republic of Cuba to The Commonwealth of The Bahamas, His Excellency Ernesto Soberon Guzman; Governor General, Her Excellency Dame Marguerite Pindling; Prime Minster, the Rt. Hon. Perry G. Christie; Shadow Minister of Foreign Affairs Hubert Chipman; and Permanent Secretary in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Mr. Philip Miller. (BIS Photo/Peter L. Ramsay)

Nassau, Bahamas - The Commonwealth of The Bahamas and The Republic of Cuba celebrated 40 years of diplomatic relations with a Reception held at Hotel RIU Palace Paradise Island on Monday, November 24.

The Bahamas and Cuba officially established diplomatic relations on November 30, 1974 and since then, the two countries have signed a number of agreements beneficial to both countries.

Notable among the various agreements has been collaboration in health and education.

The Bahamas and Cuba signed a cooperation agreement in August 2003 between their respective Ministries of Education providing for 79 Cuban specialists to teach in 25 government senior and junior high schools for a period of two to four years. Over time, hundreds of Bahamian students have graduated and continue to study at Cuban institutions in the fields of medicine, economics and engineering.

To date, over 400 Bahamians have benefited from the “Operation Miracle” eye programme, enabling those with eye impairments to receive medical assistance from Cuba free of charge.