HAVANA, July 1 (Xinhua) -- Cuba and Angola on Monday signed eight new cooperation agreements to expand bilateral ties and forge a strategic partnership that makes Angola the Caribbean island nation's top trade and collaboration partner in Africa.
Cuban President Miguel Diaz-Cane and his Angolan counterpart, Joao Lourenco, witnessed the signing ceremony of agreements in such sectors as health, education, industry, water resources, administrative issues and labor.
The two sides agreed on legal and judicial assistance of personnel in criminal matters and transfer of jailed citizens to their nations of origin.
Diaz-Cane said that Cuba attaches great importance to relations with Angola, pledging to deepen bilateral and multilateral cooperation.
Prior to the signing of the agreements, the two leaders held talks in which "they agreed to highlight the excellent state of relations between the two countries," said an official release by the Cuban presidency.
They also discussed the development achieved in the health, education and construction sectors and exchanged views on international issues of mutual interest.
Lourenco arrived in Cuba on Sunday for an official visit to strengthen bilateral links established 40 years ago.
Currently, more than 2,000 Cuban advisors work in Angola while 2,180 Angolan students are studying in Cuba with such sbujects as medicine, dentistry, architecture, sports and civil engineering as their majors.
