Cuba - Scientists call for cooperation
WORKERS, DECEMBER 2008 ISSUE
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Downtown Havana.
Photo: Workers |
In a historic step, Science, the journal of the independent and influential American Association for the Advancement of Science, has said “It is time to establish a new scientific relationship between Cuba and the United States, and not only to pay attention to common challenges such as health, climate, agriculture and energy.”
Significantly, the editorial was jointly written by the Foreign Secretaries of the Cuban and American scientific societies.
The article notes that, in spite of the geographic proximity between the two nations and many common interests, the US blockade and other laws such as the Helms-Burton Law of 1996, have obstructed the scientific exchange between the two countries.
The authors stress that the scientific community of the United States could benefit from the improvements and high-quality science developed in Cuba while Cuban scientists could take advantage of American research facilities, which cannot be found in developing nations.
The magazine also praises Cuba’s results in the management and mitigation of natural disasters. “Sharing our knowledge in this field could benefit us all,” the editorial reads.
Finally, the text refers to Cuba’s vast experience in the treatment of tropical diseases such as dengue and its advances in the field of biotechnology, including the production of vaccines and monoclonal antibodies.