IAEA Director General Yukiya Amano undertook an official visit to the Republic of Cuba from 29 September to 1 October 2013.
During his stay, the Director General met with President Raul Castro, as well as with Mr. Marcelino Medina González, the interim Minister of Foreign Affairs; Ms. Elba Rosa Perez Montoya, the Minister of Science, Technology and Environment; Mr. Roberto Morales Ojeda, the Minister of Public Health; and Division General José Milián Pino, Vice Minister of the Interior. In his meetings, the Director General noted that Cuba is an active partner of the IAEA in the region, and beyond. He congratulated the Government of Cuba for its recent ratification of the Amendment to the Convention on the Physical Protection of Nuclear Material. He also encouraged Cuba's efforts to further strengthen nuclear safety and nuclear security in the country.
Foreign Minister González reaffirmed, on behalf of his Government, Cuba's unwavering support for the work and mission of the IAEA, and expressed his appreciation for the support received from the Agency in the peaceful use of nuclear applications, particular in the area of human health, as well as in agriculture and the environment. The Director General welcomed the valuable role that Cuban experts have played in many nuclear-related fields in sharing their knowledge and experience with other countries. The Director General also spoke at the University of Havana's Aula Magna.
During his visits to the Center of Isotopes (CENTIS), the National Institute of Oncology and Radiobiology, and the National Institute of Cardiology and Cardiovascular Surgery, the Director General was able to see first-hand Cuba's impressive use of nuclear technology for medical diagnosis, research and development, and developing highly qualified specialists in nuclear applications.