FROM OCTOBER 8 TO 10, 2025
At the invitation of H.E. Prof. Robert DUSSEY, Minister of Foreign Affairs, Cooperation, African Integration and Togolese Abroad, H.E. Mr. Bruno Rodriguez PARRILLA, Minister of External Relations of the Republic of Cuba, paid an official visit to Lomé, Republic of Togo, from October 8 to 10, 2025.
This high-level visit is part of the consolidation of the historic relations of friendship and cooperation between Togo and Cuba, established on January 18, 1979. It demonstrates the vitality, strength, and potential of this exemplary partnership, based on solidarity, shared views, and mutually beneficial cooperation.
During his stay, Minister PARRILLA was received in audience by H.E. Mr. Faure Essozimna GNASSINGBE, President of the Council, to whom he conveyed fraternal greetings from H.E. Mr. Miguel Diaz-Canel BERMUDEZ, President of the Republic of Cuba.
He also had a one-on-one meeting with his Togolese counterpart, H.E. Professor Robert DUSSEY, followed by a working session extended to their respective delegations.
The discussions focused on issues of bilateral and international interest.
Bilaterally, the two heads of diplomacy praised the excellence and resilience of the friendly and cooperative relations between Togo and Cuba, which have been maintained and developed despite the changes and constraints of the international environment.
They reaffirmed their shared determination to deepen and diversify this cooperation, notably through the revision of certain existing agreements and the conclusion of new legal instruments in strategic sectors such as health, agriculture, trade, investment, mining, and tourism.
They particularly agreed to accelerate consultations for the implementation of projects of common interest in the sectors of the pharmaceutical industry, renewable energy, and mining processing.
H.E. Bruno Rodriguez PARRILLA expressed his deep gratitude to the Togolese Government for its continued support for Cuba, particularly through its consistent voting in favor of United Nations resolutions calling for the lifting of the embargo and coercive measures that have been imposed on the country for decades.
At the international level, the two ministers shared their deep concern over the current geopolitical upheavals, which are sources of tension in Africa, the Middle East, the Caribbean, and other regions of the world.
They deplored the worrying decline in international law and the increasingly uninhibited use of force and coercive measures, particularly against small States, at a time when the United Nations is experiencing a period of dysfunction and paralysis, driven by the major powers themselves.
Emphasizing the complete convergence of views between Togo and Cuba on the need for strict respect for the principles of the United Nations, Their Excellencies Professor DUSSEY and Mr. PARRILLA called for a thorough reform of multilateral institutions and the effective strengthening of South-South cooperation, with a view to addressing the geopolitical challenges that hinder the development and sovereignty of countries in the Global South.
The Cuban minister praised the leadership of the President of the Council, H.E. Faure Essozimna GNASSINGBE, appointed African Union mediator for the crisis in the eastern Democratic Republic of Congo, as well as his steadfast commitment to peace and stability on the African continent.
He also paid tribute to Togolese diplomatic initiatives, particularly the African Political Alliance (APA) and the Lomé Peace and Security Forum (LPSF), which provide African countries with an informal framework for consultation and reflection, likely to foster greater cooperation with the rest of the world, including Latin America.
H.E. Mr. Bruno Rodriguez PARRILLA congratulated Togo for its initiative that led to the adoption, on February 16, 2025, in Addis Ababa, of the African Union Decision on the classification of slavery, deportation, and colonization as crimes against humanity and genocide against the peoples of Africa. He welcomed this initiative as a strong expression of Togo’s determination to combat historical injustices and defend the dignity of the African continent.
On the sidelines of his official meetings, Minister PARRILLA visited the recently renovated the Palace of Lomé, which he described as a unique architectural gem, symbol of both Togo’s colonial and post-colonial past and its renaissance.
At the end of his official visit, H.E. Bruno Rodriguez PARRILLA expressed his deep gratitude to the Togolese authorities for the fraternal welcome, warmth, and genuine hospitality extended to him and to the members of his delegation.
Done in Lomé, October 10, 2025