South Africa’s Minister of Science, Technology and Innovation, Prof. Blade Nzimande, visited the Embassy of the Republic of Cuba in Pretoria for discussions aimed at further strengthening the longstanding bilateral relationship between South Africa and Cuba.
Minister Nzimande was received by Cuba’s Ambassador to South Africa, H.E. Fakri Rodríguez Pinelo. The engagement reflected the enduring political solidarity and growing cooperation between the two countries, particularly in science, technology, innovation, education, health and human capital development.
South Africa Reaffirms Solidarity with Cuba
During the engagement, Minister Nzimande reaffirmed South Africa’s support and solidarity with Cuba at a time when the Caribbean nation is facing intensifying economic pressure arising from expanded United States sanctions.
The visit took place against the backdrop of further tightening of US measures against Cuba during 2026. In May, the United States introduced a new sanctions framework under Executive Order 14404, followed by additional sanctions measures and designations. The Office of the United Nations High Commissioner for Human Rights has warned that fuel restrictions imposed since early 2026, together with the tightening of extraterritorial sanctions, are harming the Cuban population and affecting access to essential services.
South Africa has historically maintained a consistent position calling for the lifting of the economic, commercial and financial embargo against Cuba and has continued to emphasise solidarity, sovereignty and multilateral cooperation in its relationship with Havana.
Minister Nzimande’s latest engagement with Ambassador Rodríguez Pinelo therefore builds on a relationship extending beyond formal diplomacy and rooted in the historical bonds between Cuba and South Africa’s liberation struggle.
Nzimande’s Longstanding Engagement with Cuba
Minister Nzimande has maintained a long association with Cuba through his government responsibilities and political engagement.
In January 2011, while serving as Minister of Higher Education and Training, Nzimande undertook a working visit to Cuba focused on expanding cooperation in higher education and training. During the visit, he held engagements with senior Cuban leaders and officials and visited institutions including the University of Havana, the Agrarian University of Havana and associated research institutes.
The 2011 visit explored cooperation in teacher education, veterinary sciences, language studies, expanded access to higher education and stronger research collaboration between South African and Cuban universities. During that visit, Nzimande also conveyed South Africa’s solidarity with Cuba and support for the lifting of the US embargo.
More recently, in April 2025, Minister Nzimande led an official science, technology and innovation visit to Cuba. The visit resulted in the signing of a Statement of Intent aimed at renewing the existing science, technology and innovation cooperation agreement between the two countries and expanding areas of collaboration.
During the 2025 programme, the Minister also visited leading Cuban research and innovation institutions, with discussions focused on areas where the two countries have complementary capabilities. These include biotechnology, healthcare innovation and education on the Cuban side, alongside South African capabilities in mining technology, renewable energy, astronomy, nuclear science and space science.
Science Diplomacy at the Centre of Bilateral Cooperation
The relationship between South Africa and Cuba has increasingly expanded into the field of science diplomacy.
Cooperation between the two countries has previously involved South African institutions including Mintek, iThemba LABS and the South African Nuclear Energy Corporation, with collaboration contributing to exchanges in areas such as nuclear medicine and diagnostic technologies. A South African technical delegation also visited Cuba in 2015 to study the country’s biotechnology ecosystem.
Minister Nzimande has previously emphasised that South Africa and Cuba share a commitment to using scientific knowledge to address development challenges, including energy security, climate change and economic diversification.
The June 2026 engagement at the Cuban Embassy provides further momentum for maintaining regular high-level dialogue and translating the longstanding political relationship between Pretoria and Havana into practical programmes in research, innovation, skills development and technological cooperation.
A Relationship Built on History and Future Cooperation
South Africa and Cuba share a diplomatic relationship shaped by historical solidarity but increasingly focused on contemporary development priorities.
The engagement between Minister Nzimande and Ambassador Rodríguez Pinelo signals continued commitment to maintaining that relationship during a challenging international environment. It also reinforces the importance of diplomatic partnerships that combine political solidarity with practical cooperation in education, science, technology, health and innovation.
As both countries continue to explore new avenues of collaboration, science and technology cooperation is emerging as an important pillar of South Africa–Cuba relations and a platform through which their historical friendship can contribute to sustainable development and shared technological progress.
