The councilor and second head of the Winhoek mission in Addis Ababa, Rodney Sikopo, thanked the meeting and highlighted the warm ties of friendship that unite the two countries.

Hernández, for his part, highlighted the recent visits to Havana by Namibian President Nanglo Mbumba and the President of the National Assembly of that African country, Peter Katjavivi, as a sign of the deep and historic solidarity of their people and the Namibian authorities with the Caribbean island.

He said those ties were forged in the common struggles and in an endearing friendship between Fidel Castro, the historic leader of the Cuban Revolution, and Sam Nujoma.

During his stay in Cuba last December, Mbumba, held official talks with his counterpart Miguel Díaz-Canel, who imposed the José Martí Order on him during an event at the Revolution Palace.

The decoration, the highest awarded by the Caribbean nation, was awarded to the ruler of the African country in recognition of his invaluable contribution to strengthening the historic bonds of brotherhood between the two peoples.

The decorated man then expressed deep honor and emotion, as he joined the men and women whose legacy has been recognized with this order along with his gratitude for the affection shown by the island.

He stressed that the order received, along with the one posthumously awarded to President Hage Gottfried Geingob and the one awarded to the historic Namibian leader, Sam Nujoma, are evidence of the enduring friendship existing between the two nations.

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