"Canada is very pleased to enter into these agreements with Cuba. They are the result of the ongoing approach of constructive engagement that links our countries," said the Prime Minister. "They bolster the human dimension of our relations, and provide for practical, technical work by Canadians and Cubans in fields where we both excel. Both countries stand to gain from working together in these areas."

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Prime Minister Jean Chrétien witnessed the signing of three Canada-Cuba agreements which will enhance cooperation and understanding between the two countries: an audio-visual co-production agreement (treaty) and two Memorandums of Understanding in the areas of sport and health.

The Memorandum of Understanding between the Department of Health of Canada and the Ministry of Health of Cuba makes possible exchanges and cooperation between government agencies, health institutions, specialists, scientists and health professionals in the field of public health, health-care delivery systems, and medical sciences. These exchanges will take place in the areas of primary health care, medical emergency services, maternal/child health, management of health systems, training of human resources, and financing health systems.

Health Canada and the Cuban Ministry of Health have been working successfully together for several years through the Pan American Health Organization (PAHO). Exchanges have been taking place between scientists and health workers on activities beneficial to both countries, particularly co-operative work on medical devices, disease surveillance and tuberculosis control.

The MOU establishes a well-defined framework within which cooperation projects can take place. It prioritizes the areas for cooperation and provides guidelines for their administration.

The Audio-Visual Co-Production Agreement between the Government of Canada and the Government of the Republic of Cuba permits co-productions, including animation and documentaries, for film, television and video. The agreement is valid for five years and its implementation will be monitored by a Joint Commission. Co- productions undertaken under the Agreement must be approved by the Minister of Canadian Heritage and the Instituto Cubano del Arte e Industria Cinematograficos.

Film and television co-production agreements are an important way of producing culturally significant productions of high quality. The signature of this agreement will allow Cuban and Canadian producers to pool their creative, artistic, technical and financial resources for their mutual benefit.

Co-production agreements are important in increasing Canadian film and television exports and in projecting Canada's culture internationally, a key objective of Canadian foreign policy. Increased access to foreign markets facilitated by such agreements strengthens the Canadian presence on the world stage.

Canada has co-production agreements with more than 40 countries. Together over the past three years they have generated an average investment of more than $300 million a year.

The Memorandum of Understanding in Sport Between the Department of Canadian Heritage (Sport Canada Branch) and the National Institute of Sport, Physical Education and Recreation of the Republic of Cuba makes possible the exchange of information and experts in the area of sport. Program areas include: public policy development, funding, management and legislation; information on sport medicine, sport science, research and anti-doping; coaching education; sport for the disabled; sport for women and girls; sport documentation; and high performance sport.

The first Canada-Cuba MOU in sport was signed in 1992. Accompanying the MOU was an Action Plan that outlined specific projects and exchanges to be undertaken. Both the MOU and Action Plan were extended to July 1996, when negotiations between the two countries on a new arrangement began. Reference to the new MOU was included in the Canada-Cuba Joint Declaration signed by Foreign Minister Axworthy during his visit to Cuba in January 1997.