Caracas, December 14 (EFE).- Venezuela and Russia signed on Wednesday 11 cooperation agreements on health, energy, shipping and anti-drugs, among other areas, for the next decade, during a high-level meeting held in Caracas , where a delegation from the Eurasian country is visiting, led by Russian Deputy Prime Minister Alexander Novak.
Among the agreements signed, a cooperation plan stands out for the “fight against drug trafficking” and for the “improvement of the supply system for essential insulin drugs”, the sectoral vice-presidency of the Economy reported in a statement.
In addition, the state-owned PDVSA has signed two memoranda of understanding for the development of research and projects in the energy field and for the evaluation of technologies.
During the meeting, held as part of the sixteenth meeting of the high-level Intergovernmental Commission (CIAN), the sectoral vice president of the Economy and Venezuelan Minister of Petroleum, Tareck El Aissami, proposed to “draw strategic lines that define once again an agenda for bilateral cooperation” for the period 2022-2032.
Bilateral cooperation “has been marked by important results and progress, which have strengthened and configured this exemplary relationship which promises a future of prosperity”, he underlined.
He also noted that both countries have signed 326 instruments in areas such as trade, energy, agriculture, food, transport, science and technology and health.
The minister indicated that the agreements have led to the supply of 9.5 million doses of the covid-19 vaccine to Venezuela, as well as 5 million doses of flu vaccines and 5.4 million doses of insulin.
Furthermore, he highlighted the air connection between Caracas and Moscow, which took the form of 84 flights, in which more than 20,000 passengers were transported, while cargo transport amounted to approximately 500 tons.
In the tourism sector, however, El Aissami celebrated the agreements that “allowed the opening of two weekly flights” between Moscow and the Venezuelan island of Margarita, which to date amount to 33 operations, through which they have visited the Caribbean country ” more than 15,000 Russian tourists”.
For his part, the Russian deputy prime minister said that Venezuela is a “reliable, loyal and strategic ally of Russia in the Latin American region and in the world at large”.
“The Russian side underlines the efforts of the Venezuelan government aimed at stabilizing the internal political situation and the social and economic situation,” Novak said.
He added that the Eurasian giant is expected to deliver 1.92 million doses of flu vaccine to the South American nation next year.
(c) EFE Agency
