VZCZCXYZ0002
RR RUEHWEB

DE RUEHLC #0540 3430502
ZNR UUUUU ZZH
R 090502Z DEC 09
FM AMEMBASSY LIBREVILLE
TO RUEHC/SECSTATE WASHDC 1568
INFO RUEHUB/USINT HAVANA 0002
RHMFIUU/HQ USAFRICOM STUTTGART GE

UNCLAS LIBREVILLE 000540 
 
SIPDIS 
 
DEPARTMENT FOR A/C FOR LISA KORTE 
 
E.O. 12958: N/A 
TAGS: ETRD ETTC GB TP CU
SUBJECT: GABON AND SAO TOME: CUBAN CONNECTIONS WITH GABON 
AND SAO TOME LIMITED 
 
REF: 09 SECSTATE 115416 
 
¶1. Per reftel, post provides the following information 
regarding Gabonese-Cuban and Sao Tomean-Cuban relations. 
Gabonese and Cuban Government contacts are extremely limited. 
 Sao Tomean relations with Cuba are more established, but 
still quite limited.  The most visible signs of the 
relationship are a small handful of student exchanges in both 
Gabon and Sao Tome and Principe.  Cuba sponsors around 20 
Gabonese students via scholarships to study technical 
subjects in Cuba and is currently supporting six specialist 
physicians in Sao Tome and Principe and funds approximately 
160 exchange students studying in Cuba.  This is the only 
governmental-to-governmental interaction of any kind between 
Cuban and Gabon/Sao Tome and Principe. 
 
¶2.  In regards to Gabon, neither the Gabonese or Cuban 
governments has permanent representation in the other. There 
has not been any high-level contact between the two countries 
within the last number of years.  There are no signs of 
foreign assistance between Gabon and Cuba, nor is there 
military-to-military cooperation.  There is no significant 
investment in either country by the other.  There are no 
bilateral trade agreements between Gabon and Cuba. 
¶3. In regards to Sao Tome and Principe, neither country 
maintains permanent representation to the other, though the 
Cuban embassy to Luanda is also accredited to Sao Tome. 
There are currently six Cuban physicians in Sao Tome and 
Principe ) a general surgeon, two obstetricians, an 
anesthesiologist, a psychiatrist and a pediatrician.  In 2009 
160 exchange students from Sao Tome attended Cuban 
universities studying a variety of subjects.  There are no 
signs of foreign assistance between Sao Tome and Principe and 
Cuba, nor is there military-to-military cooperation.  There 
is no significant investment in either country by the other. 
There are no bilateral trade agreements active between Sao 
Tome and Principe and Cuba. 
¶4. Both the Gabonese and Sao Tomean Governments have offered 
limited, but positive, support to the United States in 
international forums.  Due to limited contact between Cuba 
and the two countries, there has been no significant effort 
by Gabon or Sao Tome and Principe to improve human rights or 
political rights in Cuba. 
REDDICK