Vietnam and Cuba Enhance Judicial Cooperation

Havana, The Gulf Observer: In a significant move to strengthen bilateral relations and enhance judicial cooperation, Cuban Minister of Justice Oscar Manuel Silvera Martínez has called on the Vietnamese Ministry of Justice to support and share experiences in applying information technology and digital transformation in law-making, judicial management, and the inspection and review of legal documents.

During a productive meeting with Deputy Minister of Justice Đặng Hoàng Oanh, who is leading a Vietnamese delegation to Cuba from July 17 – 19, Minister Martínez expressed his gratitude for the Vietnamese ministry’s goodwill and determination in supporting Cuba’s judicial reforms.

Deputy Minister Oanh congratulated the Cuban people on their recent achievements under the leadership of the Communist Party of Cuba. She expressed her delight at the enhancement and expansion of the special and traditional cooperation and friendship between Vietnam and Cuba, particularly between their respective justice ministries. She affirmed the Vietnamese ministry’s commitment to providing support and sharing valuable experiences with its Cuban counterpart.

During the meeting, Deputy Minister Oanh briefed her Cuban hosts on the coordination between the two ministries and relevant Vietnamese agencies to implement a technical assistance project aimed at enhancing the Cuban ministry’s capacity for law building and legal enforcement. Both officials valued the active coordination between the two ministries in effectively implementing the 2024-25 Cooperation Programme through flexible methods.

A key outcome of the meeting was the signing of a memorandum of understanding (MoU) on cooperation between the Judicial Academy of Vietnam and a specialised school of the Cuban Ministry of Justice. The MoU provides an important legal basis for performing specific cooperative activities in training legal staff and officials holding judicial positions.

Minister Martínez suggested that, based on the MoU, the Judicial Academy of Vietnam and the Cuban school should collaborate on organising short-term training programmes, including those for Cuban lawyers.

Deputy Minister Oanh also had a working session with Chairman of the Constitutional and Legal Affairs Committee of the Cuban National Assembly, José Luis Toledo Santander. Chairman Santander appreciated Vietnam’s support for Cuba in drafting its 2019 Constitution and in amending and perfecting Cuba’s legal system.

During their visit, the Vietnamese delegation toured the Faculty of Law at the University of Havana, the specialised school of the Cuban Ministry of Justice, the association of Cuban law firms, and the Fidel Castro Ruz Centre. They also paid tribute to the Hồ Chí Minh Monument in Havana by laying a wreath.

These engagements mark a significant step forward in the ongoing collaboration between Vietnam and Cuba, reinforcing their commitment to mutual support and the sharing of expertise in judicial reform and legal education.