Visita cubana a Kinshasa

Cuban Vice-president Esteban Lazo Hernandez arrived in Kinshasa in the evening of Thursday, May 17, on 4-day visit in the Congolese capital. Not coincidentally, Hernandez's arrival occurred on the 15th anniversary of the fall of Kinshasa to Mzee Laurent Kabila's forces and their Rwandan and Ugandan allies. Hernandez and Joseph Kabila held talks in the morning of Friday to discuss bilateral "commercial relations" and cooperation in the areas of "education, health, electricity," the Cuban vice-president told the press as he emerged from his meeting with Kabila. Friday afternoon, Hernandez stood wreaths at Mzee Kabila's mausoleum and at the foot of Patrice Lumumba's monument. A state dinner, hosted by Prime Minister Matata Ponyo, was to be given for the Cuban vice-president Friday evening. Joseph Kabila visited Havana for the first time in September of last year, flying in from New York where he'd attended the UN General Assembly. Kabila had a stopover in Havana to unveil the bust of his father, Mzee Kabila, at the Parque de los Próceres Africanos [Park of African Heroes].