Cuba honours Nujoma Founding President Sam Nujoma was bestowed with Cuba''s highest award, the Order of Solidarity ''El Mehdi Ben Barka'', by that country''s government during the celebration of the 50th anniversary of the Tri-continental Conference and the creation of OSPAAAL.The ceremony took place on 30 September in Havana, Cuba.
A media statement issued by the office of the founding president said the Executive Secretariat of OSPAAAL decided to honour Nujoma during its extraordinary meeting held in Havana on 31 May.
The Order of Solidarity was created in 1986 to be awarded to Third World personalities who have won the esteem of the peoples of Africa, Asia and Latin America because of their struggle and outstanding contribution in the common battle for freedom, independence, peace, economic development and social justice.
“In addition, valuing the lifetime achievements, proven integrity and consistent political militancy of Sam Nujoma, OSPAAAL considered that Nujoma owns extraordinary merits that honour the purposes of which the Order of Solidarity ''El Mehdi Ben Barka'' was created,” the statement read.
Nujoma also paid courtesy calls on Cuban President Raul Castro and the leader of the Cuban revolution, Fidel Castro.
He also paid homage to the Cuban soldiers who fought in Angola by laying a wreath at the cemetery of the veterans of the revolution at Colon.
Former recipients of the award included Hugo Chavez, who was president of Venezuela, Daniel Ortega, president of Nicaragua, Jorge Handal of El Salvador, the first president of Angola, Agostinho Neto, Kwame Nkrumah, who was the first president of Ghana, and Palestinian leader Yasser Arafat.
STAFF REPORTER