After the presentation of the credentials that appoint Mr. Rashid Mairza, Mahmoud Al-Mulla as new ambassador of Qatar in Cuba, he kindly answered to some questions for Trabajadores newspaper.
What has meant to you the appointment as new ambassador of Qatar in Cuba?
It’s been a great honor to represent our Emir, Qatar State and my kind and friendly people in the Cuban government and its people, which are so affable and indissolubly linked to the great historical leader Fidel Castro Ruz, and President Raul Castro Ruz. They have entered in history for their struggle in favor to the peoples and the dignity and proud of this country; it is somehow an honor with capital letters.
How are the relations between Cuba and Qatar at present?
If we talk about Cuba and Qatar we have to tell about the long way we have walked together since 1989, with the young people from both countries. It is a strong friendship that had become concrete steps in multiple spheres. An example of this is in the field of construction in Qatar with the building of a great monument to humanism: the Cuban hospital in Dukhan city, an initiative of the S.A. Sheik Hamad Bin Khalifa Al-Thani, predecessor emir and the historical leader Fidel Castro Ruz.
In such hospital they give the noblest and greatest medical assistance to the people of Qatar. Likewise, we are offering our contribution (a million euros) in the building of a special center for disabled people in Havana, with the collaboration of the Non-Governmental Organization, OIKOS. We have great investment projects for the future on several mutual agreements we have signed. The rest is a matter of time.
What do you expect will bring year 2014?
As I said, we have been for almost half a century in a fruitful travel, and we have carried out a plan that covers several spheres. As a just arriving ambassador I am eager to work and make my best efforts thanks God, year 2014 will bring new developments for our relations, so we can carry out other great projects together in Cuba and in the region aimed to the interests of the two brother countries and the strengthening of our links of friendship and cooperation.