The governments of Cuba and the Dominican Republic signed a Memorandum of Understanding for binational cooperation on climate change, which was signed in Havana by the Minister of Science, Technology and Environment (CITMA) of the largest Antillean island, Elba Rosa Pérez Montoya, and the executive vice-president of the National Council for Climate Change and Clean Development Mechanism (CNCCMDL), Max Puig.
The objective of this agreement is to expand the activities that both countries are already developing jointly, promoting binational cooperation and technical assistance in adaptation to the effects of climate change, reducing greenhouse gas emissions and strengthening capacities to comply with the commitments of transparency in investment and climate action measures.
“It is also essential that the Dominican Republic and Cuba strengthen their capacities to address the challenges and risks generated by climate change, with a regional vision, given that, as Caribbean island states, we are exposed to the same climate threats,” said Max Puig.
The signing of this agreement takes place in the framework of the visit made by a Dominican delegation to Havana, headed by Puig, accompanied by the technical director of the CNCCMDL, Alan Ramirez Risk; the head of International Relations of that institution, Sara Gonzalez, and the expert in Adaptation to Climate Change Ana Sofia Ovalle.
The signing ceremony of the agreement between the two official entities was attended by the ambassador of the Dominican Republic in Cuba, Flavio Rondón, accompanied by the counselor Hatuey Sánchez Galarza.
During his visit to Havana, following up on meetings held in Glasgow in the framework of COP26, and responding to the invitation of the Minister of CITMA of Cuba, Max Puig developed an intense work program that included meetings with the main authorities of the Ministry of Science, Technology and Environment of Cuba and several of its dependencies, such as Cuba Energy and the Environmental Agency, as well as other scientific and cultural institutions of that country.
Among other personalities, Max Puig held meetings in Cuba with the renowned writer Abel Prieto, former Minister of Culture and current director of Casa de las Americas. He also met with Héctor Hernández Pardo, from the Office of the Martiano Program and coordinator of the José Martí Project of International Solidarity, among others.