NAIROBI, March 12 (Xinhua) -- Kenyan President Uhuru Kenyatta leaves for Cuba on Tuesday on a three-day state visit to the Caribbean nation, State House spokesman Manoah Esipisu said on Monday.
The trip is aimed at bolstering bilateral relations and deepening cooperation in such areas as health, sports, culture, blue economy and trade.
"The president will explore how to build Kenyan capacity, increase the number of medical specialists in orthopaedic surgery, oncology, neurology, and trauma management; and collaborate in research on cancer and diabetes drugs, and eradication of malaria," Esipisu said in a statement issued in Nairobi.
Esipisu said Cuba has a well-developed health sector which has achieved great milestones such as discovery of vaccines against lung cancer, and the eradication of malaria.
Cuba is also home to a thriving pharmaceutical sector, he said.
Kenya and Cuba signed a memorandum of understanding on health cooperation in mid-2017.
"There is a great opportunity, during the president's visit, for the two nations to expand the MoU implementation for the achievement of universal healthcare, an important deliverable in President Kenyatta's Big Four agenda," Esipisu said.
"President Kenyatta will encourage Cuba to set up a pharmaceutical manufacturing facility in Kenya to serve the East and Central Africa regional market," he said, adding that Kenya will also seek cooperation in veterinary vaccines.
Affordable healthcare for all is one of the deliverables in President Kenyatta's second term of office under the Big Four agenda.
"Cuba has one of the best-established sports medicine sectors in the world and Kenya will seek the Caribbean nation's support in building capacity in this area, enhancing sports development," Esipisu said.
He said Kenyatta will seek support for Kenya's candidature for a non-permanent seat at the United Nations Security Council for 2021-2022.
Esipisu said a knowledge share and capacity training exchanges in sport will target Cuba, offering Kenya training in boxing, volleyball, track and field events.
"The reverse order will be Kenya offering Cuban athletes and coaches opportunities to train at high-altitude training facilities in Kenya," he said.