By Nara Romero Rams, Chief correspondent in Ethiopia

In order to analyze the period that has just concluded, we spoke with Cuban Ambassador in Addis Ababa Jorge Lefebre who, before delving into the topic, took the opportunity to send greetings to the Cuban people on the occasion of the 65th anniversary of the triumph of the Revolution.

“It has been a difficult, complicated year, with many shortcomings, but the most important thing is that there has always been faith in triumph, in victory, and the Cuban people have demonstrated an unprecedented capacity for resistance. I am optimistic as a revolutionary and I am convinced that any future time will be better,” he noted.

Returning to the topic of Cuba and Ethiopia, according to Lefebre, it is important to go back to the presence of the Cuban Embassy from the beginning of relations between President Mengistu Haile Mariam (1987-1991) and Commander-in-Chief Fidel Castro, and the beginning of Cuba’s participation in the Ogaden war to preserve Ethiopia’s territorial integrity.

That, undoubtedly, left a very deep imprint on this country, he stressed.

“The same thing that has left traces in Cuba, we must not forget that here, in Ethiopia, 163 of our compatriots fell and that is something that the Cuban nation, that grieve, will bear forever, for the families who lost their best children here.”

I believe that it is important for the Cuban people to know that the sacrifice made 45 years ago in Ethiopia is not forgotten,” the Cuban diplomat added.

Lefebre recalled, as something very heartfelt, that upon arriving here he could see the images of Fidel and Che (Ernesto Guevara) on stickers on many cars and people who did not live through that moment say they know them and appreciate the Cuba’s presence.

The territorial integrity, the sovereignty that they have today, as Ethiopians tell Lefebre, was achieved thanks also in part to Cuba’s help, and that is very present.

Every March 5, the victory of Ogadén or Karramara, achieved in 1978, is commemorated. It was the last battle in that epic issue of the Cuban troops, the tanks crossing the mountain, the artillery duels and that is remembered in a mass rally of solidarity with Cuba, in recognition not only of that moment.

This year it was also remembered in Havana, at an event held in the Square of the African Martyrs and organized by the Cuban Institute of Friendship with the Peoples (ICAP), together with the community of Ethiopian resident and the presence of participants in that epic.

Going back in time, he referred to the subsequent arrivals of the contingents of teachers, doctors, engineers and the training in Cuba of nearly 5,000 Ethiopian (Ethio-Cuban) students who are professionals of different ages today. Some are already 60 years old, others are much younger, there are still students in Cuba although on a smaller scale, but the relationship between Cuba and Ethiopia always continues, the ambassador stressed.

HISTORY ALWAYS UNITES US

For Lefebre, the ups and downs of politics do not affect the love or relationship that unite both peoples. After emerging from the Covid-19 pandemic and a two-year domestic conflict in northern Ethiopia, significant steps were taken in bilateral relations in 2023.

“And I would say that today there is a new boost to relations between Cuba and Ethiopia. There is a government that fully acknowledges Havana’s contribution to Addis Ababa, just a month ago we held meetings with the country’s main authorities and they recognized the help and level of the graduates trained on the Caribbean island, especially Prime Minister Abiy Ahmed. For him, these graduates are the best professionals in the country,” he revealed.

At every step, you notice the presence of Cuba here, the people, boys, children, they stop me in the street because they recognize the flag and they shout Cuba, Fidel, and those two words are inextricably linked in Ethiopians. There are many who say my second father is Fidel, the ambassador noted.

Regarding government meetings at the highest level, Lefebre mentioned last September, during the G77+China Summit in Havana, which was attended by Ethiopian Deputy Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Demeke Mekonnen, who was accompanied by a large delegation.

Mekonnen took the floor at the meeting because Ethiopia, like Cuba, has the same challenges, including economic ones, inflation problems, they suffer human rights violations and there are United States sanctions that are imposed on Addis Ababa, the Cuban diplomat said.

Regarding Washington’s sanctions, he recalled that they are more or less what they rehearsed on Cuba; that is, “we are countries with many similarities and we give each other diplomatic support, important in multilateral and political consultations.”

He highlighted the gratitude expressed by Mekonnen to Cuban authorities, the meetings with President Miguel Díaz-Canel, with Vice President Salvador Valdés Mesa, with Foreign Minister Bruno Rodríguez, and emphasized the gratitude to Cuba for its contributions during these years.

Another important moment happened in the middle of the BRICS Group Summit (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) held in August in Johannesburg, where Ethiopia became a member of that economic bloc.

Díaz-Canel met with Ahmed, something that also happened recently at the United Nations Conference on Climate Change (COP28) in Dubai, the United Arab Emirates.

Valdés Mesa visited Addis Ababa in November as part of a tour of several African countries, where he was very warmly welcomed. Lefebre pointed out that there was a contact at the highest level, a meeting with the Ethiopian head of government.

“I would say that it was excellent because local authorities acknowledged Cuba, first of all, personally for Cuba’s contribution, for what it did and continues to do for Ethiopia,” he added.

During the meeting, Valdés Mesa and Ahmed exchanged ideas on how to bring this political relationship also to the economic level, which is today one of the priorities of both countries, and some possibilities were assessed.

Options were reviewed to establish cooperation in coffee production, how Cuba can improve this grain with new seeds and varieties, as well as the development of the sugar industry in the central regions of Ethiopia, taking into account Cuba’s experiences in that field.

He explained that they also addressed cooperation in the areas of health care, the training of professionals, doctors, advice, in organizing the primary care system, “which is fundamental here.” This is not the same country as the 1970s or 1980s, today it is completely different, with the training of doctors, but it still needs help in the training of its professionals, Lefebre acknowledged.

A POSITIVE CLOSURE

This year, the foundations were laid for the renewal of ties with Ethiopia from every point of view: emotional, historic, professional, political and “we are also trying to bring these ties to the economic level,” the Cuban ambassador pointed out.

“In a nutshell, I would tell you that there is a boost from that historic relationship that is founded on the blood of Cuban soldiers, shed on Ethiopian soil. The relationship with this country is undergoing a major renewal and the foundations have been laid to take this bond to a higher level,” he emphasized.

For us, as an embassy, it is important that the Cuban people know that in Ethiopia there is total gratitude for the presence of Cubans 45 years ago and today they still remember those who fell and those who came after and helped them, the diplomat reiterated.

Another important moment this year was the reopening of the Ethiopian Embassy in Havana last April. Remember that due to the internal conflict they were forced to close 30 diplomatic offices around the world due to economic reasons, and this year three were reopened. I would say that the first was Cuba, he added.

Lefebre revealed that there was unrest among the local population over the decision to close the embassy in Cuba, but the Foreign Ministry said that as soon as they recovered economically, it would be the first one to be opened, and it was.

“Genet Teshome is the Ethiopian ambassador to Cuba, whom I greet, he is very hard-working and very aware of the ties between the two countries, he has been of great help in the development of this bilateral relationship,” he emphasized.

As is tradition, Cuba’s diplomatic and State mission here, its residents and Ethiopians who graduated in Cuba will wait for the new anniversary of the triumph of the Cuban Revolution, which for the Ethio-Cubans is also a very dear anniversary.

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