8.1 Response by Ambassador Dries Venter Ambassador Venter noted that it was important to understand the history of South Africa-Cuba relations before 1994. He said Cuba offered its continuous support to South Africa even after 1994 because Cuba already had training facilities for medical doctors. The Minister of Health therefore encouraged these partnerships for the time being, especially in the fields of health and engineering. He said the United States of America was not eager to sit and discuss matters on Cuba in any forum; therefore talks with the African Union and the United Nations or the Brazil-Russia-India-China- South Africa forum (BRICS) would not amount to much.