Cuba in the 15th Summit of the African Union

The meeting of heads of state or government, to be held until July 27, has the strategic issue of the "Maternal, Infant and Child Health and Development in Africa" as its main theme, the Cuban Foreign Ministry's Web site reports.

Cuba, which as usual attends the event as guest, carries the message of maintaining its bonds of fraternity and solidarity with the African continent.

 Likewise, the Caribbean island will also convey its appreciation to the African governments for their stance against the unfair blockade imposed on Cuba by the US for over 50 years now.  

The Cuban delegation is also composed of Deputy Foreign Minister Marcos Rodriguez, Cuban ambassador Clara Pulido, accredited to the African Union, and other officials from the Foreign Ministry.

 After the Summit, the Cuban delegation will participate in the 8th Inter-Foreign Offices' Session with South Africa, to take place in Pretoria, to continue strengthening the political bonds existing with that fraternal nation, and well as those of cooperation.

 Ministerial delegations from the 49 member nations of the AU with the right to vote are in Kampala, according to Patrick Muganda Guma, spokesperson of Uganda's Ministry of Foreign Affairs, in order to formalize preparations for the meeting, slated to begin on July 25.

Niger, Madagascar and Guinea, suspended by the AU for violating the constitution of the continental organization, are not present, as well as Morocco, which withdrew from it in 1984 after Africa's recognition of the Saharawi Arab Democratic Republic, the former Western Sahara territory, annexed by Rabat in 1975.